Upcoming BL Stuff - 2022

[DarkChaplain]

I honestly don't think Dawn of Fire "overpromised", let alone underdelivered. It was never billed as the "new Heresy", just as an ongoing series that benefits from the lessons of the Heresy series and The Beast Arises, by having actual planning involved, an overall showrunner in Haley and actual beats to hit along the way, rather than meandering the way the Siege did in the middle.

 

There's a clear narrative throughline being built up, while exploring various warzones without overdoing them. Yes, it's filling in gaps, but it's hardly just a gapfiller series. It's doing what it's set out to do, and the threat is steadily being developed, while the series plays on politics and set pieces.

 

Frankly, I'm scratching my head over the expectations some people seem to have about the series (which was initially pitched as around 9 books over a <12-year in-universe timeline). I know WarCom is pretty bad with its pointless marketing hype talk, made by people who haven't read the stuff they're advertising, but Dawn of Fire had actual interviews, talk about the scope and what to expect right out the gate, most notably from Guy Haley himself. We knew what it was going to be, and I'd say that it has stuck to the brief so far.

 

That being said, yes, Dawn of Fire should have begun at least 3 years earlier than it did. But that's GW for you. 8th and Primaris were very much a child of the Kirby era, and to this day we see the problems with narrative supplements of that era not being covered by Black Library anymore (with Wrath of Magnus having its adaptation axed despite both Curse of the Wulfen and the middle piece being written and published, with an author standing ready for WoM), leaving the whole Cadia, Ynnari and Primarch climax of 7th basically untouched and only looked back on in novels set further downriver.

 

In the end, though, I'd just wish that BL had enough sense to replace the ridiculous backlist ads in their books with actually relevant timelines. If Star Wars can do it, surely BL can do as well. Pick the relevant books, do a simple timeline/order/flowchart and done. A ton of the confusion re: Dawn of Fire, Devastation of Baal, Dark Imperium, Watchers of the Throne, Knights of Macragge etc would be instantly avoided and people actually had a better idea of where they're headed.

[Nagashsnee]

How can they put down timelines when they are still retconning the timelines? 

 

Dawn of fire was cursed the moment they changed the date of indomitus around, i noticed it allot with the clubs I interact with, suddenly no one had any clear idea what was when, whats suppose to be the 'present', is indomitus over? Is it just starting?  When does Devastation of Baal actually happen?  People lost interest, I hear talk of the Siege narrative when books drop, or how people arguing about Badad war meta plot. But Dawn of fire was DOA for my local scenes. 

 

No one has any clear idea on its intendent vision or scope neverminded when its set timeline wise. I remember when wolftime dropped I wanted to talk about it with some local wolf players who read BL and none of them had read any Dawn of Fire books up until wolf time, none of them did in preparation of wolftime and none of them got throne of light.   I have read all 4 books so far and cant answer the questions what's its about as a series.  I cant say i get the same sense of ongoing crusade i get from the Sabbat War books, it nots about bubby G ( he got his trilogy), its kinda sorta about the introduction of primaris? But then you Have Gate of Bones laying that idea to rest.  The hand of abaddon and his meta plot to do...something? Kind of but again not really. I just don't know.  

 

If this is what they can do AFTER 'learning' from the Beast Arises and HH gods help them. 

 

 

[wecanhaveallthree]

Quote

I honestly don't think Dawn of Fire "overpromised", let alone underdelivered. It was never billed as the "new Heresy", 

 

Consider the amount of times Haley refers to Dawn of Fire as 'like the Horus Heresy' or 'magic of the Horus Heresy' or 'first time we've created a series like this in modern Warhammer 40K', that was absolutely the intention. Yeah yeah, I know, gotta fluff up your fancy new series for advertising, but Haley was very open about it in his WarCom interview on the subject. I assume you're talking about the same article. Should be pretty easy to see why people had high hopes for it, I trust, and if anybody was let down I don't think the answer is 'you weren't cynical enough' - or at least, it shouldn't be.

 

It certainly isn't a leap to suggest with the Siege winding down, even with an eventual Scouring series on the horizon, GW/BL would be looking to capture that lightning again. As you say, though, the schedule slip/timeline changes just killed any chance of generating much of the same momentum. I doubt the publishing issues around that time helped it any, either. There's a wonderful quote about intention and consequence...

 

It's a real shame, because I really like those 'spinal' series, a 'main story' that perambulates nicely through the middle of all the other events going on that give the reader room to pick and choose what they're interested in while ensuring there's some kind of narrative cohesion to it all. It felt like the Dark Imperium books served that purpose: here's Guilliman, here's what he's up to (with passing reference to other plots and characters), here's where he's going. Funnily enough, that trilogy felt like the 'spine' while Dawn of Fire seemed ancillary! Intent, consequence, again.

 

 

[Noserenda]

Yeah the end of 7th is definitely a narrative void, like the first Mina Lensk book that dances around the critical events on Cadia, it works well if you read it in tandem but those books are all oop now unless you want to dig through the Vault, im assuming they are in there? 

Also a Timeline is a really good idea, GW have 100% got us immersed in the uncertainty of 40k time but im not sure thats a good thing! :P Pop it on Warhammer community as an overview of the books even, use it to sell things! 

[chevalierdulys]

But to capture the that is difficult because Dawn of Fire if I am not mistaking is an ongoing event. The Scouring is set on stone like Horus Heresy (I know stuff changed but the overall is there). If they want to do a new war of the beast but with scouring makes sense but for that they have to coordinate books to come like war of the beast, we are every three month a book. To be honest, I've been here since 2002 (here - buying books from BL) and Horus Heresy If I remember correctly they were releasing books on a constant pace, at least until the dan abnett one that got delay and then afterwards we couldn't really get oh it's every 3 months or so. 

 

I think to make the scouring with at least 12 novels they would need at least 7 to 12 authors. Even War of the Beast had multiple books from the same author. 

Unfortunately this is not like regular markeing that we know what Bradon Sanderson or Tad Williams is writing until 2028 or 2029. Sometimes you get some hints or some authors slip stuff but it's all must hidden from side... Even now, a commom person, who wanted to collect 40K only knows what is coming until February. WHICH is idiotic because I can go to bookdepository and see all the lineup (minus the suprises) of all novels until June or July.

 

Black Library is a chaos .. It use to have a page with all the novels, and all the upcoming novels, like 6 months in advance. Then they change. IT's strange that If I want to collect 40K novels, and I go to their websites I don't have a complete list of all novles. How ridiculos is this? Can you imagine going to a authors page and only have half his stuff? Amazing unprofessional. 

 

If they want I have a complete list of all novels, pages years and all short stories ever publish (in paperback) I can provide and they can copy paste to their website. My god so unprofessinal...

[Lord Nord in Gravis Armour]

Dawn of Fire isn't really ongoing - they knew the ending before they started. It's supposed to dovetail into the Dark Imperium novels.

Edited November 23, 2022 by Lord Nord

[chevalierdulys]

2 minutes ago, Lord Nord said:

Dawn of Fire isn't really ongoing - they knew the ending before they started. It's supposed to dovetail into the Dark Imperium novels.

I didn't knew. I thought it was an ongoing event that leads to Guillman crusade and so on... I am a bit late on the lore. I Am trying to read older novels before reading after the all cadia falls but probably not worth and should be accompanying this more closely

Thank you for this

[Von Großschmitt]

To my European peeps: the limited edition of Sanguinius is up for grabs, gogo! Was able to snatch a copy...

 

€dit: And it's sold out at 11.01..

Edited November 26, 2022 by Von Großschmitt

[deanup]

I have every one of the Primarchs limited editions but my run has been broken got it in the cart but couldn't get beyond that point.

 

It is quite a relief actually at least I won't get stressed out when the Horus one come out.

 

Why didn't GW increase the print run as this series went on as it was obvious that many like myself were committed to collecting the full set.

 

[aa.logan]

33 minutes ago, deanup said:

I have every one of the Primarchs limited editions but my run has been broken got it in the cart but couldn't get beyond that point.

 

It is quite a relief actually at least I won't get stressed out when the Horus one come out.

 

Why didn't GW increase the print run as this series went on as it was obvious that many like myself were committed to collecting the full set.

 

Oh dear.

 

it feels a bit OTT to send my sympathies, but I’m going to do that.
 

Thats been my fear since about the fifth book in the series. I shouldn’t let it stress me out, but it’s been intense.

 

Do you know anyone in North America? Maybe try to get a copy when it goes up there and have them forward it to you?

[deanup]

I am surprised that I have a zen like calm about it. It is like the sword of damocles.

I think I will be able to accept not getting the full set of the Siege of Terra now.

[chevalierdulys]

I was not collecting so I didn't back it up. But it's a shame that you are ally reporting... 

Maybe BL should do something akin other companies do nowadays when dealing with LE. You buy the subscription of 3 or 10 books and you always get the same number. The problem would be putting upfront on this case, which I deduce is going to be 18 novels, no?,  1000€. 

[Typhonian]

Sanguinius LE in US is live.

[Ubiquitous1984]

I’m just really excited to see what Wraight has lined up with this one.  ADB’s depiction of Sangunius has really turned me on to the legion.  

[chevalierdulys]

Let's see what the first week of december brings since it's going to be , probably the last preorder before Christmans arrive...

[cheywood]

13 minutes ago, chevalierdulys said:

Let's see what the first week of december brings since it's going to be , probably the last preorder before Christmans arrive...

Unless there’s an unannounced limited edition (which is a small possibility) the books coming next week are Richard Strachan’s Hammers of Sigmar, the Heirs of the Emperor anthology and probably that Gotrek collection. After that it’s likely on to 2023. 

[DarkChaplain]

Following on from dead weeks, here's four new audiobooks! But none for the Primarchs anthology omnibus, figures.

 

Good to see Rynn's World finally getting an audiobook, though. Freakin' hell, Traitor's Gorge has been available for 5 years or so, but the actual main novel hasn't.

Didn't expect Orcslayer yet, though. Giantslayer only released this month iirc. Very weird pacing, as always.

[System Sound]

Oh hello.

[chevalierdulys]

2 hours ago, cheywood said:

Unless there’s an unannounced limited edition (which is a small possibility) the books coming next week are Richard Strachan’s Hammers of Sigmar, the Heirs of the Emperor anthology and probably that Gotrek collection. After that it’s likely on to 2023. 

Yes I'v eseen the release now. That special edition looks very cool 125€ as dark emperium I deduce?

[cheywood]

1 hour ago, chevalierdulys said:

Yes I'v eseen the release now. That special edition looks very cool 125€ as dark emperium I deduce?

Probably? But with GW’s inconsistency we won’t know until Saturday.

[Taliesin]

2 hours ago, System Sound said:

Oh hello.

 

Looking forward to that.

[Felix Antipodes]

You know, I would be happy if they previewed some stuff that may be 6-12 months down the line, not just books for the next quarter as per usual.  Just so we have proof that they exist (looking at you Black Legion III).

[Kelborn]

11 hours ago, System Sound said:

Oh hello.

Finally!

How long has it's been since the last one. Feels like eons.

Hopefully we get a "full" preview for the next month's and not just a Christmas preview. 

Gimme some promising news and not just some fancy LEs I don't even bother to get.

[theSpirea]

BL December Preview usually reveals majority of the books coming out in the first quarter. Here's a summary from last year:

https://www.warhammer-community.com/2021/12/11/discover-what-reads-await-in-2022-with-black-librarys-warhammer-preview-online/

[Ubiquitous1984]

Let's have some fun speculations!

 

DoF book 5

HH Character book 4

40K character book 5

Watchers of the Throne 3 (confirmed by Wraight to have been already finished)

Black Legion 3

The End and the Death vol 2 cover art?

SoT anthology?

Vottan novel

 

Plus random exciting novels!