Necromunda fiction

[Knockagh]

When necromunda made its come back some years ago I was super excited to see where BL would take the opportunity to revisit the underhive. So far I found it’s been hit and miss. I certainly haven’t read everything that’s come out but what I have read the best so far has been terminal overkill. (Justin has vanished sadly). The rest I can’t say have really stood out. The focus has mostly been on the gangs and their fights. Big old gangster and their adventures. All good enough in its own right.

What I’ve really enjoyed though since necromundas return has been the fluff content in the rule books. The depth of political intrigue and the society structures are brilliantly done. there’s so much potential for great novels here. There’s histories of the gangs, detailed connections from the top of the spire to the underhive. I think BL could do something pretty cool with the material in these rule books. I’m kind of bored with just the gangers. Obviously they will always be a part of every necromunda novel but I’d love to see something more. Not sure we will get this as there are so many other side projects now with crime and horror but for anyone wanting more from necromunda I would really recommend the rule books.

[theSpirea]

I'm with you on this, Knockagh. It feels BL is pushing too much action-gang-wars oriented books; similar to what they did with The Realmgate Wars and it was a disaster. I haven't read everything either but from what I've read, I agree the Terminal Overkill was a pleasant surprise. I can also recommend the recent Spark of Revolution and a short story Emp-rah's Eye.

 

Haven't read any of the rule/backround books and I'm adding it to my never-ending and ever-growing backlog.

[cheywood]

Road to Redemption is both well-written and less gang-warfare centric (though it’s not gang-free by any means). Brooks captures the emotions of the underhive really well. I liked Sinner’s Bounty a lot, though it’s pretty in-line with the action focused approach BL currently has to the setting. Terminal Overkill didn’t really do much for me. Hill’s a good writer, but I seem struggle with how he structures his stories.

 

I’d also love to see a move away from almost exclusively gang-focused stories. Necromunda has a lot to offer as a setting be it in the uphive or the ash-wastes. Even within the gangs it seems Cawdor, Escher and Goliath see the lion’s share of prose coverage though.

Edited March 31, 2021 by cheywood

[Gederas]

It's an audio drama triptych, but Venators is REALLY good. Probably my favourite piece of Necromunda fiction.

[DukeLeto69]

Not read all posts so others may have said this already.

 

Of the new round of Necromunda releases, for me there are two standout novels:

 

Terminal Overkill - Justin D Hill

Road to Redemption - Mike Brooks

 

Both focused on underhive but were distinctly different. I thoroughly enjoyed both and hope for more from both writers.

 

I also agree that it is a shame ALL the focus is on the underhive. I would love to see stories set in other stratas of society and the hive. Indeed I would like to see stories beyond the Palatine Hive, in the Ash Wastes, other hives, the Eye of Selene!

 

I am quietly optimistic we may eventually see this because there are supposed to be rules supplements coming for other locations, so shorts and novels may be commissioned?

 

QUESTION - I no longer play any GW games but still buy rulebooks/codexes etc for the lore sections. I have the main Necromunda rulebook for that reason but am yet to take the plunge and buy things like Book of Judgement, House of xxxx etc...

 

Would you recommend I do? Is there enough lore alongside the rules to justify it to a non player lore junky like me?

 

P.S. Justin D Hill chats with me on twitter (thoroughly nice chap). He has been very busy writing for BL but cannot say what. Pretty certain we ate getting another Cadia book but not sure what else.

[Knockagh]

The rule books have lots of lore in them. Like the Duke I no longer play but still buy some rule books that are lore heavy. The necromunda books have been good in this regard. But they are expensive for what you get. Most of them are probably a third lore, although the character rules are interesting in themselves and certainly help to make a more complete picture. I hesitate to recommend them because they are expensive if you just want lore. Unfortunately this information is never usually published outside these rule books. But the information and art is superb.

The black heresy books which so many buy just for the lore have been separated out to give a rules only option but not lore only. A poor decision I think.

[Jareddm]

In a way I'm almost glad there's a little less about Necromunda coming from BL, but only at the moment.  Let all of the "House of..." books come out (which have excellent lore and for the most part I've loved every one of them).  Then authors need to ingest that lore and work it for new ideas.  It reminds me of the pre-Black Book Horus Heresy stories and how all over the place many of them were.  There were laments that FW should've set the foundation for legions before a single HH book was written.  Now we're getting that for Necromunda which, I hope, could lead to stronger stories for Necromunda in the future.

[DukeLeto69]

The rule books have lots of lore in them. Like the Duke I no longer play but still buy some rule books that are lore heavy. The necromunda books have been good in this regard. But they are expensive for what you get. Most of them are probably a third lore, although the character rules are interesting in themselves and certainly help to make a more complete picture. I hesitate to recommend them because they are expensive if you just want lore. Unfortunately this information is never usually published outside these rule books. But the information and art is superb.

The black heresy books which so many buy just for the lore have been separated out to give a rules only option but not lore only. A poor decision I think.

Thanks. I suspect when my wallet feels flush I will buy them as I do like having a complete set.

 

However, it strikes me as odd that GW/FW/BL haven’t tapped the “only want the lore” market more readily. While I am probably crazy buying books for only a 3rd lore, I am not sure if I am the norm. I would be willing to bet that there is a market for lore only books (and Abnett’s Sabbat Worlds book proves that).

 

On that basis I would LOVE it if GW collected all the Necromunda lore into a single book but hey ho!

[DukeLeto69]

In a way I'm almost glad there's a little less about Necromunda coming from BL, but only at the moment. Let all of the "House of..." books come out (which have excellent lore and for the most part I've loved every one of them). Then authors need to ingest that lore and work it for new ideas. It reminds me of the pre-Black Book Horus Heresy stories and how all over the place many of them were. There were laments that FW should've set the foundation for legions before a single HH book was written. Now we're getting that for Necromunda which, I hope, could lead to stronger stories for Necromunda in the future.

Good points.

 

I suspect there was some interaction and cross pollination of ideas between BL authors and FW - particularly as we know ADB and the late great Alan Bligh were very good friends.

[Petitioner's City]

 

This looks like it fits what you are describing somewhat - something away from the gangs, perhaps?

[Taliesin]

There is also a new book coming in a few weeks called Fire made Flesh by Denny Flowers which I thought looks interesting in the premise, seems to have some overlap with the new House van Saar book that was recenty released ( I really enjoyed the lore in that).

[Taliesin]

 

Thanks. I suspect when my wallet feels flush I will buy them as I do like having a complete set.

 

However, it strikes me as odd that GW/FW/BL haven’t tapped the “only want the lore” market more readily. While I am probably crazy buying books for only a 3rd lore, I am not sure if I am the norm. I would be willing to bet that there is a market for lore only books (and Abnett’s Sabbat Worlds book proves that).

 

On that basis I would LOVE it if GW collected all the Necromunda lore into a single book but hey ho!

 

 

Yes that would be nice, but GW is not gonna do that, they can make waay more money by creayting 6 different House books and incorperating the lore in those ;)

 

I have recently really liked the House van Saar and House Goliath books as those are the gangs I am most interested in. Orloclk and Escher dont do much for me, but upcoming in Q2 is Cawdor and then Delaque, now that last house is quite interesting and I might get a 3rd House of book.

 

However I also find a lot of the books pre- House of Series are not worth the money for the lore. For instance I got the Palastine Enforcers book last year and was very disappointed by how little lore there is in that book, barely anything really and compares very poorly to the House of books. Also books like Book of Peril and Book of Ruin do not have much lore. Gangs of the Underhive was released 2 years ago and that has 2 pages on each Gang, not a lot ha, so I would skip that for lore purposes and buy the House books.

 

In a way I'm almost glad there's a little less about Necromunda coming from BL, but only at the moment.  Let all of the "House of..." books come out (which have excellent lore and for the most part I've loved every one of them).  Then authors need to ingest that lore and work it for new ideas.  It reminds me of the pre-Black Book Horus Heresy stories and how all over the place many of them were.  There were laments that FW should've set the foundation for legions before a single HH book was written.  Now we're getting that for Necromunda which, I hope, could lead to stronger stories for Necromunda in the future.

 

Agreed on this as well. Worldbuilding in the recent House of books is finally filling out the Necromunda world.

[cheywood]

 

This looks like it fits what you are describing somewhat - something away from the gangs, perhaps?

I very much hope so, but based on the cover it’s also going to be the 3rd recent novel to focus on Redemptionists/Cawdor. It would be nice if BL remembered there are other villains out there.

 

Edit: The full novel description does sound promising:

 

The Fallen Dome of Periculus, once a hub of sanctioned commerce and illicit dealings, is lost no more… and the prizes it holds are sought by noble, Guilder and hive scum alike.

 

For Tempes Sol of the Guild of Light, Periculus is an opportunity to not only prove his superiority over his superstitious peers, but also to see the end of Lord Silas Pureburn, Keeper of the God-Emperor’s Eternal Flame, bringer of fire and faith to the rioting masses, and his most hated rival.

 

But Periculus did not fall by chance. Dark secrets lurk in its shadows – forbidden archeotech, twisted creatures that feast on flesh, and an insidious rage that afflicts all who dwell inside its confines. As madness and violence erupt within the fallen dome, the legacy of Periculus threatens not only to consume the underhive, but ultimately Hive Primus itself…

Edited April 1, 2021 by cheywood

[DukeLeto69]

 

 

 

Thanks. I suspect when my wallet feels flush I will buy them as I do like having a complete set.

 

However, it strikes me as odd that GW/FW/BL haven’t tapped the “only want the lore” market more readily. While I am probably crazy buying books for only a 3rd lore, I am not sure if I am the norm. I would be willing to bet that there is a market for lore only books (and Abnett’s Sabbat Worlds book proves that).

 

On that basis I would LOVE it if GW collected all the Necromunda lore into a single book but hey ho!

 

Yes that would be nice, but GW is not gonna do that, they can make waay more money by creayting 6 different House books and incorperating the lore in those ;)

 

I have recently really liked the House van Saar and House Goliath books as those are the gangs I am most interested in. Orloclk and Escher dont do much for me, but upcoming in Q2 is Cawdor and then Delaque, now that last house is quite interesting and I might get a 3rd House of book.

 

However I also find a lot of the books pre- House of Series are not worth the money for the lore. For instance I got the Palastine Enforcers book last year and was very disappointed by how little lore there is in that book, barely anything really and compares very poorly to the House of books. Also books like Book of Peril and Book of Ruin do not have much lore. Gangs of the Underhive was released 2 years ago and that has 2 pages on each Gang, not a lot ha, so I would skip that for lore purposes and buy the House books.

In a way I'm almost glad there's a little less about Necromunda coming from BL, but only at the moment. Let all of the "House of..." books come out (which have excellent lore and for the most part I've loved every one of them). Then authors need to ingest that lore and work it for new ideas. It reminds me of the pre-Black Book Horus Heresy stories and how all over the place many of them were. There were laments that FW should've set the foundation for legions before a single HH book was written. Now we're getting that for Necromunda which, I hope, could lead to stronger stories for Necromunda in the future.

Agreed on this as well. Worldbuilding in the recent House of books is finally filling out the Necromunda world.

Thanks for heads up, might therefore stick to the House books then. Shame!

 

Agree GW will just continue to issue max books to max sales but real shame.

[Knockagh]

Personally I enjoyed the Palastine Enforcers book, it’s the best look at law enforcement on a local planetary scale we have. I thought it had some great information in it. However I do get that if your buying a book purely for lore you have no idea how much bang you will get for your buck which can leave you very disappointed. I haven’t bought a core 40k rule book in ages and so I bought the last one. Utter rubbish, never again. Nothing new. I also bought a couple of the psychic awakening books as I had really enjoyed the vigilis campaign books. psychic awakening was terrible, little or no lore and what there was was terrible. So yes the rules are hit and miss for lore hounds. But for me the necromunda books have been great.

[Taliesin]

Personally I enjoyed the Palastine Enforcers book, it’s the best look at law enforcement on a local planetary scale we have. I thought it had some great information in it. However I do get that if your buying a book purely for lore you have no idea how much bang you will get for your buck which can leave you very disappointed. I haven’t bought a core 40k rule book in ages and so I bought the last one. Utter rubbish, never again. Nothing new. I also bought a couple of the psychic awakening books as I had really enjoyed the vigilis campaign books. psychic awakening was terrible, little or no lore and what there was was terrible. So yes the rules are hit and miss for lore hounds. But for me the necromunda books have been great.

 

Was wondering which 40K lore book you bought and thought was rubbish, was it the Book of Rust one from 2 weeks ago? Agreed that the PA books were far below expectations as many here agree.

 

I did go back and browsed through the Book of Judgement again after your post but still find it very lacking in lore and will probably sell it. I do really like the House of books though.

Edited April 6, 2021 by Taliesin

[Petitioner's City]

Weirdly, Fire Made Flesh has been out for a week from booksellers!!

 

Fire Made Flesh (Necromunda) https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1789998069/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glc_i_PC6Y20A9WHWR89KVESD8

 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1383127415197105/permalink/1828691393974036/

Edited April 6, 2021 by Petitioner's City

[Knockagh]

 

 

Personally I enjoyed the Palastine Enforcers book, it’s the best look at law enforcement on a local planetary scale we have. I thought it had some great information in it. However I do get that if your buying a book purely for lore you have no idea how much bang you will get for your buck which can leave you very disappointed. I haven’t bought a core 40k rule book in ages and so I bought the last one. Utter rubbish, never again. Nothing new. I also bought a couple of the psychic awakening books as I had really enjoyed the vigilis campaign books. psychic awakening was terrible, little or no lore and what there was was terrible. So yes the rules are hit and miss for lore hounds. But for me the necromunda books have been great.

Was wondering which 40K lore book you bought and thought was rubbish, was it the Book of Rust one from 2 weeks ago? Agreed that the PA books were far below expectations as many here agree.

 

I did go back and browsed through the Book of Judgement again after your post but still find it very lacking in lore and will probably sell it. I do really like the House of books though.

I was talking about Phoenix rising and the core rule book. The core rule book feels like it’s had nothing added to it lore wise in ages despite lots of releases. Maybe that’s the point but I was still disappointed. Phoenix rising was just plain dull with very little lore at all

[Taliesin]

About the new book:

 

https://www.trackofwords.com/2021/04/10/rapid-fire-denny-flowers-talks-fire-made-flesh/

[Knockagh]

Definitely sounds like a move towards a direction I would like. Moving away from the micro scale conflict in part at least is a good move. Glad to see the guliders enter the novels. Will certainly be purchasing this. Haven’t read anything by this guy yet

[Roomsky]

Spark of Revolution – Gary Kloster

 

I’m sad this seems to be the overlooked entry into the last novella series. As amusing as “The Know no Fear of Ogryn Stories” sounds, that’s basically my assessment of it. Who cares about ogryns? No one. Who will after reading this book? Everyone, probably.

 

This novella packs everything it needs to succeed. A unique POV, amazing pacing (I haven’t read a Black Library work in a while that reads this well in a long sitting,) a memorable cast, personal action, and even Goliaths that aren’t portrayed as the same stock characters they are in every other story they feature in (the antagonist here is not, in fact, the largest Goliath our hero has ever seen.)

 

I don’t really have any complaints about this. It’s short and sweet, and ends in such a way where the lack of denouement doesn’t harm the story. It was a very pleasant surprise, especially because the short stories I read by Kloster didn’t really make an impression on me.

 

Must Read, if you’re even remotely into Necromunda.