Primarch Book 5 - Lorgar: Bearer of the Word

[JH79]

A little corner of B&C to discuss this release in all it's varied formats by Mr Thorpe.

 

Those looking forward to this release may find this new blog post from Gav quite interesting, always nice to get an authors insight into what influences they drew upon when penning a story.

 

There was also a great tweet from Gav to ADB back in Jan which made me smile on the sheer level of detail he's going into with this book. Consider me quietly excited for this one!

[1ncarnadine]

Neat interview! I really like that the book will do a fair amount of time-skipping. I was actually worried it was just going to be Young Lorgar on Colchis without a little bit more context. Looking forward to this.

 

I took the opposite view, that it was an opportunity to play with a different Primarch, and just as importantly to let other writers have a go with the Lion and the leader of the Raven Guard. One of the great features of a multi-author series is seeing the way different authors tackle the same characters. There is a core of the character in all of them, but subtle differences of interpretation and writer peccadilloes reveal a deeper, more complex character I think. I compare it to the likes of Superman or Captain America. There is a centre around which the character is based that does not change, but how that is expressed and how they interact with different stories can be revealed by a variety of authors.

 

I like his perspective here. I hope this is the trend with the rest of the series. Also interesting to hear that Horus was up in the air, Sanguinius was "reserved" early on, and that Gav may not be doing Corax or the Lion.

 

edit - and I made a little list to show where we are with the Primarch Series releases:

 

Guilliman, Leman Russ, Magnus, Perturabo, Lorgar - released

Fulgrim (Josh Reynolds), Ferrus Manus (David Guymer) - upcoming

Mortarion - Guy Haley?

Khan - Chris Wraight?

Sanguinius - reserved?

Corax, Horus, The Lion - probably not Gav but ???

Alpharius, Angron, Kurze, Vulkan, Dorn - 100% ???

 

and pulling a quote from the Fulgrim thread:

 

 

Really just hoping that Kyme doesn't get Vulkan and Swallow doesn't get Sanguinius. Pretty 

Pretty sure those two won't be on those two assignments, as implied in past author interviews. But, who knows. It's early still.

 

 

So again, sounds like we may not have returning authors on Sanguinius, The Lion, Vulkan or Corax. That's interesting!

Edited July 12, 2017 by LetsYouDown

[R_F_D]

Wraight is writing the Khan.

[1ncarnadine]

Wraight is writing the Khan.

 

From Chris's mouth by way of someone attending WHFest, IIRC. Yeah, it's almost a given, but I left a question mark anyway because BL themselves haven't confirmed it in their release schedule.

[bluntblade]

If someone other than Wraight tackles him, make it AD-B, French or Abnett, please. It's a cheap shot, but I worry that if Kyme tackled him then everything would be storm this and plains that.

 

I want some more Hasik, Yesugei and Qin Xa. Even if that ensures more sniffles during Path of Heaven. Extra Jubal would be neat too.

[b1soul]

I've said this before...but I'd love some further exploration into why the WS detest comparisons with the SW

 

Other than the Eastern Barbarian vs. Westerns Barbarian dichotomy, is there anything else? A bad incident perhaps?

 

...or perhaps the Khan book could be set during the Scouring, as he and Russ fight together, as promised in Path of Heaven.

[DarkChaplain]

So Lorgar seems to be arriving at people's doorsteps already. Anybody got their copy yet?

[Sandlemad]

I've said this before...but I'd love some further exploration into why the WS detest comparisons with the SW

 

Other than the Eastern Barbarian vs. Westerns Barbarian dichotomy, is there anything else? A bad incident perhaps?

 

...or perhaps the Khan book could be set during the Scouring, as he and Russ fight together, as promised in Path of Heaven.

 

I think it's down to the frequency of the comparisons and the presumptuousness that comes with it. The first time someone looks at your scars or your fur cloak and earnestly says 'oh I get it, you're like the wild men of Fenris', it's easy to laugh it off. The hundredth time, it's annoying; your brothers from Macragge or Olympia don't get this. When your allies start ignorantly speculating about you on the basis of that comparison without actually bothering to ask you about yourself, it's quite annoying.

 

Like how Canadians feel when random strangers assume they're American. It's not terrible but hear it enough and it will be hard not to feel irritated and ignored, regardless of your personal feelings about the people you're being compared to.

 

On Lorgar and Gav's blog, this is promising. I wasn't too pushed but it's good to see he's trying to make it more than a retread of Martin Luther. It's a bold author who'll explicitly claim inspiration from Pratchett though, particularly from some of his best stuff (Small Gods).

[Grey Angel]

So Lorgar seems to be arriving at people's doorsteps already. Anybody got their copy yet?

Mine was delivered yesterday

[b1soul]

 

Like how Canadians feel when random strangers assume they're American. It's not terrible but hear it enough and it will be hard not to feel irritated and ignored, regardless of your personal feelings about the people you're being compared to.

 

 

That's a good analogy

[Kief]

Anyone finished this? Looking for a review of it before I buy it. Thanks in advance!

[HeritorA]

So Lorgar seems to be arriving at people's doorsteps already. Anybody got their copy yet?

Got the copy - not the worst Thorpe novel and not the best. This novel is late like for 10 years. in 2017 before the Siege of Terra that's not the novel you want to read.

 

In case you want to read Lorgar adulthood/zealotry and sneaky Kor Phaeron - then this one is definitely for you.

[DarkChaplain]

That's actually what I was looking forward to with the book, so I guess it'll be right up my alley.

[HeritorA]

That's actually what I was looking forward to with the book, so I guess it'll be right up my alley.

Curious for your review :)

[DarkChaplain]

Better don't hold your breath on that one! I still haven't gotten around to The Crimson King or Perturabo, or Dark Millennium and Dante for that matter. Utterly swamped with non-BL books for the foreseeable future, so I'm limited to checking up on summaries or rumors here.

[Mellow]

Any hints on the story or location for this one?

[HeritorA]

Better don't hold your breath on that one! I still haven't gotten around to The Crimson King or Perturabo, or Dark Millennium and Dante for that matter. Utterly swamped with non-BL books for the foreseeable future, so I'm limited to checking up on summaries or rumors here.

Ahh - said. We could have discussed this one a lot. 'Childish dreams, naivety, 'best father', idolatry' etc. they are in majority in that book

 

Anyway hope you get something on an epic scope to read. Just curious which non-BL you mostly have in the pile now?

 

 

Any hints on the story or location for this one?

How about good old Colchis

[Kelborn]

So it's been a while since Lorgar was released and the first copies hit.

 

I'm curious, how is it? ^^

 

"In 2017 before the Siege of Terra that's not the novel you want to read"

 

Could you elaborate on this, Heri?

 

I'd imagine a Lorgar focused novel to be filled with discussions about religion, disappointment and corruption, etc. Something like The First Heretic (not quality but content) situated on Colchis. Am I getting close? ;)

[HeritorA]

So it's been a while since Lorgar was released and the first copies hit.

 

I'm curious, how is it? ^^

 

"In 2017 before the Siege of Terra that's not the novel you want to read"

 

Could you elaborate on this, Heri?

 

I'd imagine a Lorgar focused novel to be filled with discussions about religion, disappointment and corruption, etc. Something like The First Heretic (not quality but content) situated on Colchis. Am I getting close?

'I'd imagine a Lorgar focused novel to be filled with discussions about religion, disappointment and corruption, etc.' - yeap, in every bit detailed from the point of view of naivety, zealotry and youth.

 

@"In 2017 before the Siege of Terra that's not the novel you want to read"@

- I do not like prequels. And I especially do not like prequels set before the MAJOR event, instead of a novel about major event. Also, Primarchs serie which focuses on the Primarchs during or before GK should have been released a long time ago. Not now.

I do like the road to the destination. And I do like the addtional storytelling - but with the secondary storylines given to us since book 15 and up to the 44 during the last 6 years I'm kind of pissed off with prequels and fillers. I want a straight story in the main narrative. What I want to see now and in the future is a direct stories like PoH, PoD and Ruinstorm. Not the ones like Corax, Vulkan, Crimson King, Primarchs series. It would be good for Haley instead of Mortarion Primarch novella to write Siege of Terra book etc.

[JH79]

Here's the thing... we only have a series like The Primarch's because The Horus Heresy has been such a runaway financial success. One justifies the other. Befiore 2006 there was no way a series like The Primarchs would have been green lit so i find it best to give the publisher a little slack and roll with the punches, better late than never.

 

As it happens I too didn't want to give this series the time of day as it really didn't catch my interest, but after dipping my toe in the water with Guilliman I was pleasantly surprised... for me these books offer a nice distraction from the main Heresy naritave and are quite self contained making it easier to digest, probably explains why i like Damnation of Pythos so much!

 

So has anyone finished this yet... thoughts and impressions?

[HeritorA]

Here's the thing... we only have a series like The Primarch's because The Horus Heresy has been such a runaway financial success. One justifies the other. Befiore 2006 there was no way a series like The Primarchs would have been green lit so i find it best to give the publisher a little slack and roll with the punches, better late than never.

 

As it happens I too didn't want to give this series the time of day as it really didn't catch my interest, but after dipping my toe in the water with Guilliman I was pleasantly surprised... for me these books offer a nice distraction from the main Heresy naritave and are quite self contained making it easier to digest, probably explains why i like Damnation of Pythos so much!

 

So has anyone finished this yet... thoughts and impressions?

 

Well you are right from the chronological state of things.

The point is - they (BL/GW and partly Laurie fault too)  pitched us with secondary/additional stories to show 'wider' spectrum of the setting (Horus Heresy) for soooo long, that it took years to stop LE dominance and get back to MAIN  storyline (Horus road to Terra etc.)

 

As for the book at hand - I will tell this: Lorgar is not the worst and not the best book ever. It take a deep look at the zealotry, idolatry, cultism, religion, human soul, naivety, cruelty and everything that drives great leaders to eventually become Vangorich. For the main HH line (Horus moving to Terra) it gave almost nothing.

[Kelborn]

I don't see the Primarch series as an addition to the main HH timeline. For me, they are intended to handle with the past of Primarchs and giving us a characterization of said ones.

 

I've read Leman Russ and I loved it as it depicts him in the exact way like I've always imagined him to be.

 

Currently reading Magnus and thus far, it's solid. Nothing to complain for now.

 

Afterwards, I'll read Perturabo. I already read the first pages and I liked it as well.

 

Therefore, I assume that BL didn't intended to expand upon the HH timeline through this new series. It shall give us an insight of the Primarchs themselves and certain events, which were important in their past, like the origin of the famous DA vs SW duals.

 

It seems to me that I might enjoy Lorgar as well. What characters are involved besides Lorgar? Another Legion maybe? Already known characters or completely new ones? Besides Lorgar and Kor Phaeron of course. ;)

[HeritorA]

I don't see the Primarch series as an addition to the main HH timeline. For me, they are intended to handle with the past of Primarchs and giving us a characterization of said ones.

 

I've read Leman Russ and I loved it as it depicts him in the exact way like I've always imagined him to be.

 

Currently reading Magnus and thus far, it's solid. Nothing to complain for now.

 

Afterwards, I'll read Perturabo. I already read the first pages and I liked it as well.

 

Therefore, I assume that BL didn't intended to expand upon the HH timeline through this new series. It shall give us an insight of the Primarchs themselves and certain events, which were important in their past, like the origin of the famous DA vs SW duals.

 

It seems to me that I might enjoy Lorgar as well. What characters are involved besides Lorgar? Another Legion maybe? Already known characters or completely new ones? Besides Lorgar and Kor Phaeron of course.

Primarchs would have never become a serie if HH was not a success.

[TheRealMcCagh]

It sounds like you're knocking the Primarch series for not being what it was never supposed to be. It's not meant to add to the Horus Heresy series, it's meant to give people who are interested the Primarchs more information and lore about them. Are you upset that it seems like GW/BL is dragging it's feet on the HH series, and see the Primarch series as just another distraction? A lot of warhammer fans actually like the 'filler' because they like the setting, they want to see more explored upon. Sure, the Primarch series wouldn't have happened it the HH series wasn't such a success, but that's because it showed GW how much fans wanted to read about the Primarchs and the Great Crusade era. Are you worried they'll forget about the HH and focus more on the Primarch series? I don't see what the issue is

[HeritorA]

It sounds like you're knocking the Primarch series for not being what it was never supposed to be. It's not meant to add to the Horus Heresy series, it's meant to give people who are interested the Primarchs more information and lore about them. Are you upset that it seems like GW/BL is dragging it's feet on the HH series, and see the Primarch series as just another distraction? A lot of warhammer fans actually like the 'filler' because they like the setting, they want to see more explored upon. Sure, the Primarch series wouldn't have happened it the HH series wasn't such a success, but that's because it showed GW how much fans wanted to read about the Primarchs and the Great Crusade era. Are you worried they'll forget about the HH and focus more on the Primarch series? I don't see what the issue is

And again you made opinion totally different from what I think.

I knocking the serie  for poor timing, no 'correct' ligament to the serie and MAINLY due to them having boring plots, poor execution etc.

'Are you upset that it seems like GW/BL is dragging it's feet on the HH series' - yes, cause it's going for a long time now.