The Horrors of Heloth

[Mellow]

Has anyone read this yet? Written by someone dodgy by the looks of it...

[HeritorA]

Has anyone read this yet? Written by someone dodgy by the looks of it...

It is a story set during a tyranid invasion of Sotha - it is ultra short and give you a glimpse on a characters, which we would have in 'Slaughter at the Giants Coffin'. Veteran-Brother Menele and his sort are screwed. In that story we see the events of the upcoming novel from one point of view - and in 'Slaughter' we will see the same events from the point of view of other characters.

'Heloth' is a shot down tyranid hive bioship.

[IronDrake28]

What do you mean by 'someone dodgy'?

[BrotherCaptainArkhan]

The 'Heloth' short in Visions of War: The Art of Space Marine Battles is one of the best shorts I've ever read. Does a tremendous job of setting a hugely evocative scene and painting a tangible picture of bloody-minded defiance amidst hopelessness. Laurie Golding ought to have written full-length novels for Black Library.

[Mellow]

What do you mean by 'someone dodgy'?

A Brit that wants to be a yank? Seriously... who wants that?!

[LaurieJGoulding]

U WOT M8?

[Mellow]

Not to paraphrase but I feel the need to say "Goulding Lives!"

 

... whilst holding a hammer.

[LaurieJGoulding]

I've been using it to hammer a Union Jack into the side of Santa Monica pier.

[HeritorA]

Anyway can you explain in advance LaurieJGoulding

So events from Heloth is actually like a chapter from the 'Slaughter at the Giants Coffin' - right? Where chronologically it goes?

'In that story we see the events of the upcoming novel from one point of view - and in 'Slaughter' we will see the same events from the point of view of other characters' - right?

[LaurieJGoulding]

Isn't that quite self-explanatory?

 

The events of 'Heloth' are seen from the perspective of Veteran-Brother Menele. In the novel, you will see the exact same events from someone else's perspective. I can't say whose because that will involve major spoilers. But Menele has a conversation with someone over the vox, so there's a big hint.

 

Interesting trivia: I had already written the original draft of 'Slaughter at Giant's Coffin' before I started 'Heloth'. Therefore, when I came back to it and expanded it from a novella to a full novel (at my editor's request) I couldn't make any changes to that scene, because 'Heloth' had already been published in the art book. I'm still very happy with how it turned out, though.

[HeritorA]

Isn't that quite self-explanatory?

The events of 'Heloth' are seen from the perspective of Veteran-Brother Menele. In the novel, you will see the exact same events from someone else's perspective. I can't say whose because that will involve major spoilers. But Menele has a conversation with someone over the vox, so there's a big hint.

Interesting trivia: I had already written the original draft of 'Slaughter at Giant's Coffin' before I started 'Heloth'. Therefore, when I came back to it and expanded it from a novella to a full novel (at my editor's request) I couldn't make any changes to that scene, because 'Heloth' had already been published in the art book. I'm still very happy with how it turned out, though.

Ok - But now the question through - if it was written so long ago (Heloth is an old story), why it is released just now?

[LaurieJGoulding]

The novel? Because of BL politics, and the merger with the Studio, I wrote it as a novella exactly like Andy Smillie did 'Flesh of Cretacia' (and at the same time) but was then told it wasn't going to be released (along with a load more products written by other GW staff).

 

Then about a year ago, it was greenlit again but only if I expanded it to novel length. I finished writing the new version in March last year, to include a large part of continuity that I had intended for another Scythes book.

 

I'm glad, because the novella was too short. It was like OH NO, SOTHA IS GONE! LET'S GO TO MIRAL INSTEAD! OH NO, MORE TYRANIDS! WE ARE ALL DEAD NOW LOL! The novel feels like an actual story, to me at least...

[DukeLeto69]

Is BL still merged with the the studio? I was under the impression that in the last year BL got a degree of freedom/flexibility back and that was why we started seeing BL initiated projects like TBA?

 

Also, pure speculation on my part here, I get the impression that BL being more free to be a publisher again (rather than exclusively a marketing arm for the studio and model kits) is what is re-attracting people like Abnett back?

 

So, pure wish listing now, that might mean we might actually see Penitent now LOL

[WarriorFish]

Please can we focus the discussion on this particular book, and take general BL to another topic. Thanks.

[LaurieJGoulding]

I don't see this as being divergent from talking about 'Heloth', which is a spin-out short from an upcoming novel. The question is contextual, and salient to the thread.

 

No, BL was only detached from the Studio in February last year. When we started planning TBA (back in 2012!) was right around the time that 'Heloth' and 'Giant's Coffin' (as the novella was then named) were all commissioned. In late 2013, BL "moved upstairs" into the same office space, and in 2015 was merged with the Studio to become "Publications". The Studio had nothing to do with TBA, because all the work had already been done before we joined them.

 

'Heloth' only made it to publication in the art book because it was a short story, and already finished. The novella got caught up in a Publications ruling that GW staff could not have new freelance work published while they remained employed at GW. That rule has since been overruled and amended so many times that it's now basically meaningless.

 

(Incidentally, none of these rules affected people like Dan. No idea where that myth has come from... he's just been busy!)

[HeritorA]

The novel? Because of BL politics, and the merger with the Studio, I wrote it as a novella exactly like Andy Smillie did 'Flesh of Cretacia' (and at the same time) but was then told it wasn't going to be released (along with a load more products written by other GW staff).

 

Then about a year ago, it was greenlit again but only if I expanded it to novel length. I finished writing the new version in March last year, to include a large part of continuity that I had intended for another Scythes book.

 

I'm glad, because the novella was too short. It was like OH NO, SOTHA IS GONE! LET'S GO TO MIRAL INSTEAD! OH NO, MORE TYRANIDS! WE ARE ALL DEAD NOW LOL! The novel feels like an actual story, to me at least...

Good choice then. Good to know :)

 

Is BL still merged with the the studio? I was under the impression that in the last year BL got a degree of freedom/flexibility back and that was why we started seeing BL initiated projects like TBA?

 

Also, pure speculation on my part here, I get the impression that BL being more free to be a publisher again (rather than exclusively a marketing arm for the studio and model kits) is what is re-attracting people like Abnett back?

 

So, pure wish listing now, that might mean we might actually see Penitent now LOL

Why do you think so? What exactly make you think you will see Penitent any time soon?

 

I don't see this as being divergent from talking about 'Heloth', which is a spin-out short from an upcoming novel. The question is contextual, and salient to the thread.

 

No, BL was only detached from the Studio in February last year. When we started planning TBA (back in 2012!) was right around the time that 'Heloth' and 'Giant's Coffin' (as the novella was then named) were all commissioned. In late 2013, BL "moved upstairs" into the same office space, and in 2015 was merged with the Studio to become "Publications". The Studio had nothing to do with TBA, because all the work had already been done before we joined them.

 

'Heloth' only made it to publication in the art book because it was a short story, and already finished. The novella got caught up in a Publications ruling that GW staff could not have new freelance work published while they remained employed at GW. That rule has since been overruled and amended so many times that it's now basically meaningless.

 

(Incidentally, none of these rules affected people like Dan. No idea where that myth has come from... he's just been busy!)

Too busy with comics -I can't fathom why such a talented author spent his time on comics crap 

[Mellow]

Money would be my guess.

[DukeLeto69]

Heritor I referred to Penitent coming as WISHLISTING... in other words I wish we would get it!

[DukeLeto69]

I don't see this as being divergent from talking about 'Heloth', which is a spin-out short from an upcoming novel. The question is contextual, and salient to the thread.

 

No, BL was only detached from the Studio in February last year. When we started planning TBA (back in 2012!) was right around the time that 'Heloth' and 'Giant's Coffin' (as the novella was then named) were all commissioned. In late 2013, BL "moved upstairs" into the same office space, and in 2015 was merged with the Studio to become "Publications". The Studio had nothing to do with TBA, because all the work had already been done before we joined them.

 

'Heloth' only made it to publication in the art book because it was a short story, and already finished. The novella got caught up in a Publications ruling that GW staff could not have new freelance work published while they remained employed at GW. That rule has since been overruled and amended so many times that it's now basically meaningless.

 

(Incidentally, none of these rules affected people like Dan. No idea where that myth has come from... he's just been busy!)

Laurie thanks for clearing that up.

 

On Dan... I was not suggesting he was caught up in contractual or structural issues. He is fully freelance after all. No I meant that the type of work he is interesting in (such as Penitent) was not flavour of the month once BL was merged with the studio because the focus seemed to be much more about marketing the new kits.

 

There now certainly seems to be change on the wind looking at the coming soon and rumours (lots of lovely Inquisition goodness) and ironically it is this same year that Dan finally delivers Warmaster. Perhaps simply a coincidence?

[WarriorFish]

I don't see this as being divergent from talking about 'Heloth', which is a spin-out short from an upcoming novel. The question is contextual, and salient to the thread.

The rules are clear and everyone agreed to follow them when signing up. A request was made to stay on topic - either that is respected or posts will be removed.

[DukeLeto69]

 

I don't see this as being divergent from talking about 'Heloth', which is a spin-out short from an upcoming novel. The question is contextual, and salient to the thread.

 

The rules are clear and everyone agreed to follow them when signing up. A request was made to stay on topic - either that is respected or posts will be removed.

WarriorFish some advice please. The rules state...

 

ABSOLUTELY NO OFF-TOPIC DISCUSSIONS. Particularly in regards to politics, nationalism, religion, sexuality or moral/ethical debates.

 

But how do we define when something has gone off topic? It seems overly restrictive to say you can only discuss the specific story in a thread started about that story but not get into a slightly wider discussion with the actual author of that story about BL and how they stopped said writer from publishing material related to the story in question?

 

Just confused and not wanting to get a warning so...

 

Are you suggesting that if we want to discuss the wider issues we start a new thread? If so then how do we ensure the writer we want to ask the question of actually goes to that thread? Also, does this not possibly lead to a massive proliferation of mini threads/topics that will clog up the board?

 

Totally willing to play by the rules but want to make sure I properly understand the parameters because I read the rule as meaning obviously off topic (religion, sexuality etc) not slightly tangental.

 

So would it be acceptable to start a new topic titled:

 

Questions for and discussions with Laurie Goulding about all his author and editor work?

[WarriorFish]

The discussion of BL's merging and the treatment of TBA series is not especially pertinent to this topic which is why I made a note to remind people of that - this is standard procedure and will always precede any mod action. Please remember that the majority of people visiting this topic are seeking information about the book, and while associated discussion is allowed a line must be drawn somewhere. By all means create a new topic to discuss editorship of BL, that would be a great topic to go into detail on the matter and would have greater scope to be able to cover a lot of different things - scope this topic doesn't have.

 

If you have any further questions about the rules please feel free to send a PM - this is the preferred method to prevent necessary responses in topic.

[LaurieJGoulding]

This all reminds me of that bit in 'Heloth'...

[Dosjetka]

=][= Stay on-topic. Final warning. =][=

(And for those unfortunate enough to not understand what that means, behaving like a smart arse when reminded of the board rules, talking about Dan Abnett and Penitent, and discussing what goes on at Black Library beyond what has been explained in the post preceding this one are all off-topic.)

[HeritorA]

The novel? Because of BL politics, and the merger with the Studio, I wrote it as a novella exactly like Andy Smillie did 'Flesh of Cretacia' (and at the same time) but was then told it wasn't going to be released (along with a load more products written by other GW staff).

Then about a year ago, it was greenlit again but only if I expanded it to novel length. I finished writing the new version in March last year, to include a large part of continuity that I had intended for another Scythes book.

I'm glad, because the novella was too short. It was like OH NO, SOTHA IS GONE! LET'S GO TO MIRAL INSTEAD! OH NO, MORE TYRANIDS! WE ARE ALL DEAD NOW LOL! The novel feels like an actual story, to me at least...

So it's attack on Miral with the strapped up attack on bio-ship.

Veteran-Brother Menele will be one of the main protagonists? Right with the 3rd captain?

Why did you named it 'Heloth'?