Is this a terrible idea?

[veterannoob]

Apologies if this is not appropriate, forums can be different sometimes.

I have a goal to start and finish the Guant's Ghosts series before attending the BL Weekender in November. Lofty, I know, when I have 4 books still to read for July interviews! I'm thinking perhaps having some guests on from this forum every 5-6 weeks to track a slow progression of the series might work with guests to make sure  I'm reading on time.

 

Thoughts? Insanity?

[Olis]

Fourteen+ books (not including spin offs) over five or six months? That's a little over a week per book I think. How fast a reader are you?

Edited June 26, 2017 by Olis

[Petitioner's City]

Oh its very possible! They are short books, quick reads.

 

Are you interviewing Dan for Warmaster? If you are making notes, then yes, it will be slower. If you are savouring the gorgeous prose (the trench exhaustion at the opening of First and Only, the many opening chapters of Salvation's Reach, etc), yes slower. Also try to listen to the audio of Salvation's Reach, its utterly well done and will change how you read past books. Id say put them on your phone and youll be done in no time.

 

Good luck! And enjoy, it is BL's best long-running series.

[veterannoob]

I want to pick up Warmaster there in addition to a chat with Dan. But I tend to do things in some more epic scale so I expect it to be a bundle interview, probably spread over a few shows. I have only listened to Salvation's Reach and could even understand the accent the second time   just kidding, it was fine. Nice, actually, to have something different.

I'm not the fastest reader and very busy so maybe this isn't realistic at all. If there were more audiobook choices that would be different.

[Apothecary Vaddon]

I did the first twelve in about two days way back when. I didn't do anything besides read those, though.

[NKCougar]

I did the first twelve in about two days way back when. I didn't do anything besides read those, though.

You sound like me. I haven't read that particular series, but I usually read or re-read at least one HH novel a day. For some reason, even with the Battle for the Abyss quality ones, I can't get enough of the lore. I've even read BftA multiple times, just because.

[Pariah32]

Honestly read the opening trilogy and see how you feel, if you want to read more then read the next three and so on and so on.

 

Setting deadlines for reading can force you to not enjoy them as you are conscious of the time. If you finish them before the deadline great, if not then not to worry, as for the interview Dan wont give away much in spoilers, so you have nothing to worry about there. in terms of questions for the release of Warmaster there are plenty to ask.

Edited June 27, 2017 by Pariah32

[veterannoob]

Honestly read the opening trilogy and see how you feel, if you want to read more then read the next three and so on and so on.

 

Setting deadlines for reading can force you to not enjoy them as you are conscious of the time. If you finish them before the deadline great, if not then not to worry, as for the interview Dan wont give away much in spoilers, so you have nothing to worry about there. in terms of questions for the release of Warmaster there are plenty to ask.

that's a VERY good point! Making fun/hobby a chore is never fun.

[HeritorA]

veterannoob

Splendid idea!

You have 13 novels to read and 2 anthologies (Sabbat Worlds/Sabbat Crusade) + Double Eagle (in comparison with Titanicus it's very close delve into Anarch and his forces + Sabbat Worlds themselves).

And comparing to a lot of bad BL stuff released in the last 4 years - GG and attending books are amazing or good.

 

Just remember all the Imperial Guard are no more - it's 'Astra Militarum' now!

[DukeLeto69]

I think it is an absolutely splendid idea and it is indeed what I am doing (the reading not the interviewing). I am reading everything connected to the Sabbat Worlds Ceusade (so Double Eagle and Titanicus as well) in chronological order (meaning I read parts of Ghostmaker before reading First and Only).

 

Recently finished Only in Death, then the short Iron Star and am now reading Titanicus before moving on the Blood Pact.

 

I am averaging about one book a week (as don't have tonnes of reading time but do have a commute to work).

 

It has been a bit like a box set binge but has been a brilliant totally immersive experience. You really get to care about the characters. You also see the development in Dan Abnett's writing which just get's better and better.

 

So definitely go for it. You won't regret it!

[R_F_D]

@DukeLeto69 do you have an order anywhere? is your order similar to the one found here?

Edited June 27, 2017 by R_F_D

[DukeLeto69]

@DukeLeto69 do you have an order anywhere? is your order similar to the one found here?

 

Almost = only difference is I didn't break up First and Only by reading the flashbacks before events in Ghostmaker as the flashbacks add context to First and Only as a novel. Ghostmaker is easier to break up simply because it is almost an anthology (of previously published GG shorts from Inferno) with a wrap around novella.

[Indefragable]

Making something fun a chore = disaster.

Making something (fun or not) a challenge = hmmmmm let's do this!

 

Couple thoughts for perspective:

-how realistic are you about reading as much as you can? If you plan on hanging out at a beach/pool in the summer weather, than you have hope. If you plan doing a bunch of other stuff where you can't hold a book, then, maybe it's not such a good idea.

 

-depending on how your brain works, you can read several books at a time. No, I don't mean like one in each hand, but rather different books for different occasions. One book for the train ride to/from work. One while you're laying in a park. Another while you're "watching" the kids practice their sport. Another while you're on the throne (the non-golden one). Etc....

Did this in school (albeit with textbooks and whatnot) and it can help you cover a lot of ground at the same time.

 

-for reference, I once read the entire Horatio Hornblower series in 2 months when I was younger, so it's fully possible. Granted, I was younger (less bills, et al), but still, you can definitely do it....if you want to.

Edited June 27, 2017 by Indefragable

[veterannoob]

I tend to read 2-5 books at a time as the queue keeps changing with releases and interviews. What to do for the next 100 BL author interviews for the show... :) 

I'm going to give it a whirl and just see how far I get. Sadly, when I have the time the focus isn't always there. We'll see... 

[HeritorA]

 

@DukeLeto69 do you have an order anywhere? is your order similar to the one found here?

 

Almost = only difference is I didn't break up First and Only by reading the flashbacks before events in Ghostmaker as the flashbacks add context to First and Only as a novel. Ghostmaker is easier to break up simply because it is almost an anthology (of previously published GG shorts from Inferno) with a wrap around novella.

 

Ghostmaker are an anthology - it was created from the Inferno shorts and magazine shorts about Gaunt 'warband' before and after 'First and only' was released. So BL and Abnett decided to unite all this stories and release it as a book - for which Abnett created a central plotline (which was new).

veterannoob

Just as an experiment try to read 1 book per evening/night after the work for a week. That's how I did finished all Joe Abercrombie books to date in 1 week. (In the morning after 1-2 hours sleep you will physically suffer - but a joy from reading would be amazing)

Anyway you have almost 5 months till the Weekender - so even 1 book per 1-2 weeks will be enough  

[DukeLeto69]

 

 

@DukeLeto69 do you have an order anywhere? is your order similar to the one found here?

 

Almost = only difference is I didn't break up First and Only by reading the flashbacks before events in Ghostmaker as the flashbacks add context to First and Only as a novel. Ghostmaker is easier to break up simply because it is almost an anthology (of previously published GG shorts from Inferno) with a wrap around novella.

Ghostmaker are an anthology - it was created from the Inferno shorts and magazine shorts about Gaunt 'warband' before and after 'First and only' was released. So BL and Abnett decided to unite all this stories and release it as a book - for which Abnett created a central plotline (which was new).

 

veterannoob

 

HeritorA thanks for saying what I already said :-) Edited June 28, 2017 by DukeLeto69

[HeritorA]

DukeLeto69

Sorry, haven't seen your comment. Yes you was first and deserve a cake.

veterannoob

I will have a camera man with me - I propose to do Dan's inverview together. I think we will cover the same angles.

[R_F_D]

How are you getting on @vetrannoob?

[DukeLeto69]

For my part I have just finished Titanicus (as not just reading GG stories but also Double Eagle and Titanicus as they are part of Sabbat Worlds Crusade). It has been a great journey, like a box set binge. Reading all the stories in succession (pretty much chronologically) also makes you connect with the characters even more as well as the overall crusade/background arc. You also witness how Abnett develops as a writer.

 

All that is left for me now to re-read is Blood Pact, Salvations Reach followed by the various shorts that bridge the gap to Warmaster.

 

BTW - does anyone know where in the timeline the standalone short Forgotten falls?

[R_F_D]

Can you work out from who is not there?  Will read on the tube but from the opening paragraph on my Kindle they're on the ship Highness Ser Armaduke which they board in Salvation's Reach? (which in turn I found from a Google which lef to an extract on Dan's blog)

Edited July 7, 2017 by R_F_D

[DukeLeto69]

Can you work out from who is not there?  Will read on the tube but from the opening paragraph on my Kindle they're on the ship Highness Ser Armaduke which they board in Salvation's Reach? (which in turn I found from a Google which lef to an extract on Dan's blog)

Thanks Brother but I should have been a little clearer. I knew it was after Salvations Reach (or potentially during) but wasn't clear where it fell in with the other shorts that were gathered in the second anthology (all of which bridge the gap to Warmaster).

[R_F_D]

Ahhh, I see.  In that case, I will need to read it again and have a think.  Got the whole series on the Kindle which helps searching for the books.  You could always tweet Dan?

[R_F_D]

@DukeLeto69 having read the shorts by Dan in Sabbat Crusade; I reckon Forgotten is the last one to read chronologically.

• Opening historical outline in Salvations Reach gives it as 781.M41;
• All the shorts by Dan set in Sabbat Crusade state 782.M41 - 7 or 8 days from Salvation's Reach;
  • In "You Never Known" Varl states the date is day 18 782.M41 - which would suggest that Salvation's reach was day 9 782.41
  • Forgotten is set at Candylmass - which I assume to be Christmas?  It also says that the supplies from the mission are now coming to an end.

This is all based on the premise that the 40k calendar is Gregorian.

[DukeLeto69]

@DukeLeto69 having read the shorts by Dan in Sabbat Crusade; I reckon Forgotten is the last one to read chronologically.

 

• Opening historical outline in Salvations Reach gives it as 781.M41;
• All the shorts by Dan set in Sabbat Crusade state 782.M41 - 7 or 8 days from Salvation's Reach;

• In "You Never Known" Varl states the date is day 18 782.M41 - which would suggest that Salvation's reach was day 9 782.41
• Forgotten is set at Candylmass - which I assume to be Christmas?  It also says that the supplies from the mission are now coming to an end.

This is all based on the premise that the 40k calendar is Gregorian.

Sorry for the late response but am on holiday! Wow thanks for doing that research, way above the call of duty!

[veterannoob]

How are you getting on @vetrannoob?

Ugh, haven't started yet. Still finishing books for set interviews :(