Upcoming BL Stuff - 2022

[grailkeeper]

Its weird that it was rare for a long time for Black Library characters to have models, and now they're giving models to "literally who" characters.

[cheywood]

15 minutes ago, grailkeeper said:

Its weird that it was rare for a long time for Black Library characters to have models, and now they're giving models to "literally who" characters.

These characters are basically brand new. From what I remember Haley and French worked with the studio to create them and then wrote stories about them. Definitely a reversal from the old days, but one by which I’m quite intrigued. 

[Noserenda]

They both had White dwarf short stories if that helps :P 

[Sothalor]

15 hours ago, cheywood said:

These characters are basically brand new. From what I remember Haley and French worked with the studio to create them and then wrote stories about them. Definitely a reversal from the old days, but one by which I’m quite intrigued. 

I think it's telling that they're doing Age of Sigmar characters - when you combine that with the fact that the AoS physical copies are the ones that don't sell out on release day, it's feasible to draw the conclusion that there's a significant discrepancy between the 40k and AoS novel sales. And undoubtedly they'd want to remedy that as best they can.

To the best of my knowledge, there hasn't been an AoS series take off organically as some kind of breakthrough success, so my read is that the model and rule tie-ins are attempts to surge some kind of popularity.

[cheywood]

34 minutes ago, A Melancholic Sanguinity said:

I think it's telling that they're doing Age of Sigmar characters - when you combine that with the fact that the AoS physical copies are the ones that don't sell out on release day, it's feasible to draw the conclusion that there's a significant discrepancy between the 40k and AoS novel sales. And undoubtedly they'd want to remedy that as best they can.

To the best of my knowledge, there hasn't been an AoS series take off organically as some kind of breakthrough success, so my read is that the model and rule tie-ins are attempts to surge some kind of popularity.

That all makes sense. It might also be an initial test run for something we start seeing more in recent years: writers collaborating directly with the studio to create stories for new releases. No reason this idea can’t be implemented for 40k. 

Edited August 16, 2022 by cheywood

[cheywood]

We finally have a confirmed date for Echoes of Eternity. Fnac has it for sale on the 3rd of September, so preorders will be up on the 27th: https://www.fnac.com/livre-numerique/a17297380/Aaron-Dembski-Bowden-Echoes-Of-Eternity#omnsearchpos=10

It will be a combined hardback and limited edition release, with the French and German editions also releasing the same day. The suits at GW must be beside themselves. Imagine the horror if all the major books experienced multiple delays, forcing BL to release multiple formats simultaneously like some sort of consumer friendly monster. I’m not sure the company would recover. 

For those obsessive enough to care it seems like BL is releasing everything 10 days before the release date listed on Simon and Schuster, and 12 days before Brown’s release date. That’s held true for a number of titles in recent weeks. Only applies to regular editions obviously, but you can get a sense of some of what the fall holds by looking:

https://catalog.simonandschuster.com/Default.aspx?cid=1440&pn=1&ob=42&ed=&CartID=1933193&showcart=&camefrom=&find=&a=

https://www.brownsbfs.co.uk/Search/Books?Imprint=Games+Workshop&fq=14120&sort=PublicationDateDesc&pg=1

A few interesting observations:

Mortarion and The Vorbis Conspiracy both due for release on September 17th

Helbrecht, Rogal Dorn both releasing October 1st. Less than 2 months of exclusivity for Dorn if that’s correct. 

Sanguinius hardcover and Witchbringer are both getting a November 26th release. Likely means Sanguinius comes out in LE format sometime in late September or early October. 

Garro: Knight of the Grey is due out in hardcover on February 2nd, 2023. I’m guessing an early December release date for the LE given BL usually takes a few weeks off around Christmas (digital promotions excepted). 

Hope this helps people get the books they want! 

[DarkChaplain]

That they're releasing translated editions right at the same time tells me all about the troubled release plans that I need to know.

Kerenski Diaries are supposedly coming before the Holidays, considering Amazon updated the release date to December 23rd. Probably the last set of releases before they shut down for the month.

[cheywood]

33 minutes ago, DarkChaplain said:

That they're releasing translated editions right at the same time tells me all about the troubled release plans that I need to know.

Kerenski Diaries are supposedly coming before the Holidays, considering Amazon updated the release date to December 23rd. Probably the last set of releases before they shut down for the month.

I’m skeptical of the Kerenski Diaries’ existence since it’s been delayed a few times and BL’s never mentioned it. Might be another Sabbathiel novel or Masters of Shadow. 

[DarkChaplain]

Masters of Shadow is a different case altogether, though. That one was commissioned, delivered and slated, but then the author f'd up and there was a bad breakup between him and the company. Supposedly they would've still been able to publish it, since they paid the advance and all, but I guess they didn't want the bad publicity from him on social media and just took the loss.

Weirdly, that was also the end of Space Marine Conquests.

I still expect the Sabbathiel novel to happen at some point (even though I really disliked her in the comics), but George Mann is pretty busy writing stuff all over the place, so delays are pretty inevitable. So long as he's still interested in doing it, it'll happen eventually.

The Kerenski Diaries meanwhile had a placeholder date on Amazon and co, but was recently moved ahead to December 23rd. That'd be a typical tuesday retail release. Normally, they'd let the December 31st placeholder stand (and that's a typical placeholder cross-industry, it exists in video games too), and just push it to the following year. That they'd move it to a week early, which would still fall in the typical Warhammer Crime window, going by last year, makes me rather confident that we'll hear it officially announced soon - probably rather soon after The Wraithbone Phoenix is in our hands.

[DukeLeto69]

I must have been asleep but what is The Kerenski Diaries and who is the author?

[theSpirea]

20 minutes ago, DukeLeto69 said:

I must have been asleep but what is The Kerenski Diaries and who is the author?

Paul Kearney, ISBN 9781789998245

[cheywood]

8 hours ago, DarkChaplain said:

The Kerenski Diaries meanwhile had a placeholder date on Amazon and co, but was recently moved ahead to December 23rd. That'd be a typical tuesday retail release. Normally, they'd let the December 31st placeholder stand (and that's a typical placeholder cross-industry, it exists in video games too), and just push it to the following year. That they'd move it to a week early, which would still fall in the typical Warhammer Crime window, going by last year, makes me rather confident that we'll hear it officially announced soon - probably rather soon after The Wraithbone Phoenix is in our hands.

I very much hope you’re right! The multiple delays have me a little skeptical, but that change in release date is promising. Is The Kerenski Diaries confirmed to be a Crime novel? I assumed it was going to be Horror based on the December dates and the fact that Kearney has written Horror but not Crime for BL.

[DarkChaplain]

It honestly might be either! Horror would make sense too, more so actually. They've also been very... tight-lipped about this year's Horror season.

[cheywood]

Short story week next week. Two are AOS (tie ins to the new novels from French and Haley)

The 40k short stories are:

The Trial of Lucille Von Shard - Denny Flowers: https://www.fnac.com/livre-numerique/a17263678/Denny-Flowers-The-Trial-Of-Lucille-Von-Shard#omnsearchpos=15 (tie in to Outgunned)

Rotten to the Core - Sandy Mitchell: https://www.fnac.com/livre-numerique/a17264039/Sandy-Mitchell-Rotten-To-The-Core#omnsearchpos=17 (new(?) Cain short story)

Blasphemy of the Fallen - Danie Ware: https://www.fnac.com/livre-numerique/a17263598/Danie-Ware-Blasphemy-Of-The-Fallen#omnsearchpos=1

(new Sister Augusta short story)

[theSpirea]

So it seems, probably thanks to the models, AoS hardbacks now sell out on day one as well.

[Red_Shift]

Managed to bag my first ever limited edition BL book. I am a Dorn fanboy though! 

[Kelborn]

12 hours ago, theSpirea said:

So it seems, probably thanks to the models, AoS hardbacks now sell out on day one as well.

Jumped on the page for Drekki and saw that, too.

It's so damn weird. Why not offering the book without the model?! 

I don't care for the model, but nope, I'm forces to get it and pay a stupidious price for it - oh wait - it's already sold out.

The hell, BL? The Emperor be damned hell???

It's as if they want to fail and disappoint the community on purpose!

[DarkChaplain]

Considering that Prince Maesa is still available, a few weeks on, it's most assuredly down to the models.

Also, I recently finished Maesa and loved the entire book, big recommendation. Wish he'd gotten a model - but then, it would no longer be available either, I suppose.

[Felix Antipodes]

Don’t know how they did the release elsewhere, but you could get the book and model OR just the book itself here.  And they are both still available in either choice on the Oz site for those with access.  Weird if everywhere else got only one option.

Edited August 21, 2022 by Felix Antipodes

[DarkChaplain]

ADB's Siege novel going up for preorder next weekend. Limited, Hardback, Ebook & Audiobook all.

[Fire Golem]

Really not looking forward to this. 
 

When was Warhawk out? Feels like it’s been bloody ages. 

[Knockagh]

This is going to be horrible 

[skylerboodie]

I really hope they don't use the random limited entry system to access the site

[63-19]

Don't worry guys, we'll only have to wait another 11 months for the end and the death.

[Ubiquitous1984]

14 minutes ago, 63-19 said:

Don't worry guys, we'll only have to wait another 11 months for the end and the death.

Ah we have an optimist in our midst!