Upcoming BL Stuff - 2022

[Casual Heresy]

The Dark Imperium set is an auto-buy for me. I've got the retconned hardbacks and a copy of godblight, but the collector in me greatly desires a full set of matching shinies (all of which are the 2nd editions as well). Plus it will look great beside my LE edition of Blood of Iax and Indomitus.

[Roomsky]

My wallet is pleased I'm not tempted to buy any of those. I suppose it makes sense to pretty up some auto-sell fan favourites but none of them are exactly their author's best works.

[skylerboodie]

I'm loving that War of the Fang edition - beautiful colours! - and Cadian Blood moves one step closer to having all ADB's 40K novels in special editions (just Emperor's Gift and Helsreach to go?).

Definitely mixed feelings about the Dark imperium boxset though. I love the original special editions more, but at least this is a good way of getting the retconned first two books. Not liking that middle spine though, uniformity would be nicer imho. Plus, I fear this will be up around the £90 mark (similar to Forges of Mars set), rather than the older £50 range for these collections. 

[Ubiquitous1984]

I like the look of all three new releases, but what I am most hopeful for is an audio release of Fang and Cadia.  That would be the cherry on top for sure!

The boxset is almost perfect, although that middle book just looks a bit off to me.  But the reality is that (at least on my bookshelf) that will be the hidden side, so no harm I guess. 

Nice to see BL throwing a financial bone to three of their best authors too.  The setting would be greatly diminished if any of those three left for greener pastures.  

[Moonreaper666]

Any idea when both parts of the Final Siege Novel is coming out?

Any other Siege novellas upcoming besides Mortarion vs Keeler and Garro?

[Ubiquitous1984]

A BL book was unofficially announced during today’s 35th birthday celebration.  The presenter said he has read a new novel about a Necron who is the bad-guy in the new Guard/Necron boxset.  Sorry I don’t have further details as I wasn’t playing close attention to what was said.  

[cheywood]

5 minutes ago, Ubiquitous1984 said:

A BL book was unofficially announced during today’s 35th birthday celebration.  The presenter said he has read a new novel about a Necron who is the bad-guy in the new Guard/Necron boxset.  Sorry I don’t have further details as I wasn’t playing close attention to what was said.  

It’s Kasrkin by Edoardo Albert. There’s a post about it a page or two back. Technically it’s a Guard vs Tau vs Necrons book from the description.

[Taliesin]

On 10/5/2022 at 4:23 PM, fire golem said:

Fancy editions of War of the Fang, the Dark Imperium trilogy and Cadian Blood coming. 
https://www.warhammer-community.com/2022/10/05/three-black-library-warhammer-40000-masterpieces-are-back-and-better-than-ever/

 

Cadian Blood special edition is tempting. War of the Fang would be too if I didnt already have it.

Dark Imperium boxset looks glorious too.

[JH79]

So Brotherhood of the Storm get's a re-recording? Interesting.

A shame to see redactions to Audiobooks like this as Keeble (in my opinion) is a great narrator... though Penelope Rawlins just completely butchered the White Scars in that one so maybe not the worst news. But what interests me is the why.

Path of Heaven was actually voiced by John Banks and his accent for the White Scars isn't even remotely "Asian". I didn't like the change from Keeble to Banks all those years ago as I really enjoyed his White Scars softly spoken approach, where as Banks was rough and Abrasive, BUT repeat listens (because the book is THAT good) really allowed it to grow on me. Nothing, and I mean nothing can beat Bank's proclamation of "To the end of Time; We defy the dark!" toward the end of Chapter 25. Great stuff & as Tymell put it, that scene is SO METAL!!!!!

But it's all just voice acting...

-

voice acting

noun [ U ]

UK  /ˈvɔɪs ˌæk.tɪŋ/ US  /ˈvɔɪs ˌæk.tɪŋ/

using the voice in acting in different ways, for example, acting in a radio play, speaking in a filmed advertisement, speaking the part of a character in an animated film (= one created from drawings, models, etc.), or speaking the part of another actor in a film that has been dubbed (= the spoken parts have been changed into a different language).

-

...nothing more, nothing less, and that's how I've always seen it. I hate to see businesses band the knee as it were, and that is what this feels like. But for some people here it matters and so maybe they will buy the new versions and appreciate the lengths BL have gone to? If that's the case then I hope the new releases are awesome and that BL makes their money back!

Having listened to the samples on the BL site Windson Liong sounds great... but I've still got to wonder, why now BL? The Heresy is almost over, how about you use him for a legacy trilogy release or newer novels? I'm not sure how much retail value there will be in re-releases of old Audiobooks like this, just seems like false economy to me.

I also wonder how Windson will handle (or be directed to handle) the Terran White Scars accents? Keeble switched between "English" & "Asian" accents (as would have been the ADR directors prerogative / direction at Heavy Entertainment) to help us keep track and identify the two factions in Brotherhood & Scars alike. Banks also altered his somewhat. And obviously BL want to stick with projecting a pseudo Asian accent base for the White Scars due to the hiring of Windson. Given there seems to be a % of listeners who did find it offensive having an English Voice Actor portray an Asian accent, will the same will be true for those listeners if Windson uses an "English" (or an approximation of one) accent for the Terran White Scars? What if he sounds inaccurate? What if he uses Brummy twang, but doesn't get it quite right? Will people take issue with that or the fact that it's a non English Voice Actor portraying an English accent? Will people return the book and be just as put out by this as apparently has been the case with others of the White Scars books? Who knows.

I would have hoped that the door swings both ways, though a part of me doubt's that is the case.

Personally if I had my way Saul Reichlin would have kept the Salamanders; David Timson the Iron Warriors & the Emps Children; Gareth Armstrong the Ultramarines, Space Wolves & Blood Angels; Toby Longworth the Sons of Horus & Mechanicum; Martyn Ellis the Thousand Sons and give the rest to Keeble. Buuuuut sh1t happens, I didn't get my own way after BL ditched Heavy Entertainment and I just had to suck it up, crazy accents n all. Didn't stop me enjoying most of it though.

Who knows, maybe in future audiobooks BL will actually engineer REAL Transhuman Astartes to perform their respective roles so as not to offend anyone and we can make all Voice Actors redundant? How cool would that be!

The mind, she boggles.

[DarkChaplain]

Isn't Penelope Rawlins still in? They just replaced Keeble, the Illya side would still be Rawlins - and I'm not sure they'd bother re-recording those chapters.

And yeah, great use of their time for sure. I mean, they could've instead recorded Robbie MacNiven's The Last Hunt... and maybe commissioned a sequel after all these years. But that'd have been sensible.

Pretty on board with your list of actor assignments. I'm not too fond of Keeble in the first place (especially since he's not the most consistent with specific character voices across the series, including primarchs, and his Gotrek & Felix lacks somehow), but I felt like Armstrong in particular nailed Ultramarines & Wolves.

Anyhow, glad Briardark is finally dropping in two weeks. The rogue trader novel is an "eh" for me, not really ringing my interest so far.

[cheywood]

1 minute ago, DarkChaplain said:

And yeah, great use of their time for sure. I mean, they could've instead recorded Robbie MacNiven's The Last Hunt... and maybe commissioned a sequel after all these years. But that'd have been sensible.

Is MacNiven still doing work with BL? I got the sense they’d quietly parted ways a few years back, but I don’t think he’s ever mentioned why he hasn’t had a 40k novel published in 3-4 years.

[DarkChaplain]

He had an original novel in the works and then got picked up by Aconyte, same as Josh Reynolds, David Guymer, Darius Hinks, C.L. Werner, David Annandale, James Swallow, Thomas Parrott, Danie Ware and even Sarah Cawkwell. The only ones off the list who don't write for BL anymore for sure are Josh and Parrott, and I suppose Cawkwell gave up on it.

Robbie MacNiven has a bunch of novels for them, two of which are due for release in November and April, respectively.
https://aconytebooks.com/?authors=robbie-macniven

And if you're wondering why some of the folks who were expected to contribute more to Warhammer Horror haven't been around in a while... well, they're probably busy writing Arkham Horror right now.

Frankly, it's rather evident that BL doesn't pay well enough anymore for folks who have a few books under their belt with them. Other publishers like Aconyte, or even Riot Games, must be offering better commissions and probably also creative freedom to play in those sandboxes. You've gotta really want to wrap up your thing or love what you've built before to come back, or be one of the star authors who sells like absolute hotcakes anyway.

[Krelious]

On 10/5/2022 at 10:23 AM, fire golem said:

Fancy editions of War of the Fang, the Dark Imperium trilogy and Cadian Blood coming. 
https://www.warhammer-community.com/2022/10/05/three-black-library-warhammer-40000-masterpieces-are-back-and-better-than-ever/

 

Does anyone else think the Guilliman on the box look absolutely hilarious, his face is like wojak mixed with adventure time.

[System Sound]

7 hours ago, DarkChaplain said:

snip

Aconyte also does review copies, announces upcoming books well in advance and actually does marketing for them. Unlike BL, where they think that such things are black magic and should be shunned...

Also speaking of horror. It's October already, and the only novel coming from the range is Briardark...

I get a feeling that Horror will be another Space Marine Conquests and will be axed soon.

[Knockagh]

2 hours ago, Krelious said:

Does anyone else think the Guilliman on the box look absolutely hilarious, his face is like wojak mixed with adventure time.

Yes, it’s a ridiculous looking drawing. I’ve no idea who wojak is but it’s certainly pretty weird.

[Ubiquitous1984]

It's disappointing that BL aren't releasing an audio version of Fang to go alongside the SE.  Hopefully they'll sneak one out in the coming weeks...

[Grey Angel]

8 hours ago, System Sound said:

Aconyte also does review copies, announces upcoming books well in advance and actually does marketing for them. Unlike BL, where they think that such things are black magic and should be shunned...

Also speaking of horror. It's October already, and the only novel coming from the range is Briardark...

I get a feeling that Horror will be another Space Marine Conquests and will be axed soon.

They have six months to release more horror stories, what do you want them to do realise them all at once?

[DarkChaplain]

1 hour ago, Grey Angel said:

They have six months to release more horror stories, what do you want them to do realise them all at once?

I mean... Horror has been trending downwards. We had two novels last time. I repeat: Two.

They did an anthology in October, roughly 8 out of its dozen stories being reprints of digital or White Dwarf releases from the prior two years. Very little new stuff.
The first novel didn't drop until January - the second at the end of the same month. It was bleak, and not for the spooks, but the lack of care in the Horror schedule.

The Briardark novel is also a follow-up to one of the two novels, as that's intended as an arc within Horror. It's not its own thing entirely, and they've not teased anything besides it.

And considering that Horror tends to go with paperbacks directly, or hardbacks that also get sold on regular retail, we'd normally have listings popping up on Amazon and co already. None of that has materialized this year, even though we have a good glimpse well into the future. Unless they really changed how they handle Horror in particular, chances are growing slim.

The same argument has been made last year, mind. "They have plenty of time, it's only October/November". But that's precisely the high time for Horror. Other publishers are currently releasing their stuff, including Aconyte, which had its new Annandale Arkham Horror. Even outside of tie-in, this is the month to drop your horror novels. I have little confidence in BL having a stronger lineup waiting behind the scenes - especially with all the other previews for stuff further out than that we've gotten recently.

It simply looks like Horror is being put on the backburner once again. We'll probably get an anthology collecting old stuff again in a month or two - there was a Horror Week back in November 2021, with five shorts that have yet to be printed - and probably a second novel around January/February, but I would not count on them to come swinging into the Halloween season beyond Briardark. And we can't even talk about that book's contents on here once it drops.

[Noserenda]

Can confirm its high tide for Horror, one of my buddies is a Horror book reviewer and shes previously mentioned how draining the Halloween period is as she has to blitz through a bunch of books to keep up.

[skylerboodie]

So the Kasrkin novel is showing on GW's trade pricing list for this week, but no mention of it at all anywhere on WarCom - was ignored in video and article on Sunday, and only mention was Adam Troke going off-script during the 35Yr anniversary preview stream, saying there was one and he'd enjoyed it - whilst Eddie sat there and just silently looked at him. What gives? Is the author [was mentioned in thread above somewhere pre-audio dramas hijack but can't remember who] of this in GW's bad books, or have I missed something? I mean, this is poor marketing even by BL standards.

[Taliesin]

12 hours ago, skylerboodie said:

So the Kasrkin novel is showing on GW's trade pricing list for this week, but no mention of it at all anywhere on WarCom - was ignored in video and article on Sunday, and only mention was Adam Troke going off-script during the 35Yr anniversary preview stream, saying there was one and he'd enjoyed it - whilst Eddie sat there and just silently looked at him. What gives? Is the author [was mentioned in thread above somewhere pre-audio dramas hijack but can't remember who] of this in GW's bad books, or have I missed something? I mean, this is poor marketing even by BL standards.

Do you have a link to the trade price list or a screenshot?

There is definitely something weird going on, maybe because it could be related to the release date of that Guard vs Necrons boxset?

[cheywood]

13 hours ago, skylerboodie said:

So the Kasrkin novel is showing on GW's trade pricing list for this week, but no mention of it at all anywhere on WarCom - was ignored in video and article on Sunday, and only mention was Adam Troke going off-script during the 35Yr anniversary preview stream, saying there was one and he'd enjoyed it - whilst Eddie sat there and just silently looked at him. What gives? Is the author [was mentioned in thread above somewhere pre-audio dramas hijack but can't remember who] of this in GW's bad books, or have I missed something? I mean, this is poor marketing even by BL standards.

It sounds like the book got delayed relatively recently and GW haven’t properly updated their release calendar. 

[cheywood]

First listing for The End and the Death is up on Fnac with a March release date: https://livre.fnac.com/a17441563/Dan-Abnett-La-Fin-et-La-Mort#omnsearchpos=13

I can’t access the description but maybe someone in another region can. 
 

There’s also two books titled ‘embargo’ which I’ve never seen before, but the isbns lead back to French language listings so who knows: https://livre.fnac.com/a17441560/Collectif-Embargo-1#omnsearchpos=9

https://livre.fnac.com/a17441565/Collectif-Embargo-2#omnsearchpos=10

And there’s a week of horror short stories starting on the 24th: https://www.fnac.com/e65968/Black-Library?SFilt=1!34

 

Edited October 11, 2022 by cheywood

[skylerboodie]

44 minutes ago, Taliesin said:

Do you have a link to the trade price list or a screenshot?

There is definitely something weird going on, maybe because it could be related to the release date of that Guard vs Necrons boxset?

Yes it's definitely a tie-in to Kill Team: Shadowvaults boxset, but that is out this week too and was properly previewed on WarCom at the weekend so makes no sense that the book was not mentioned, when listed as out same time

https://trade.games-workshop.com/assets/2022/10/Pricelist UK__1.xls

[Taliesin]

Nice, that does normally mean its actually coming out, very unlikely to be a mistake or last minute pull.