Looking Back on The Beast Arises

[Roomsky]

I mean I don't have much to add to your post; though I was tickled that Ashes of the Imperium confirmed most of what we agreed on. I think it speaks in The Beast Arises' favor that a well-liked, organic, immediate continuation of the Heresy series has no trouble setting up the troubles that would come to a head in TBA.

Once again, if you want Imperial politicking that is both enlightening and entertaining, go read The Beast Arises if you haven't already. Can't wait for people to drool all over the politicking in The Scouring that directly leads to it but still treat it like the worst thing ever.

Me, I'm just waiting to see whether or not Oriax Dantalion still exists.

Edited Monday at 11:43 PM by Roomsky

[grailkeeper]

Has GW ever done a multi author series thats been good all the way through?

 

As far as I know Horus heresy was the first, then beast, then dawn of fire. Good chance I'm missing some.

 

They've all been uneven, which is fair enough when authors differ in quality. But they often end up disjointed.

 

I'm not being a hater. If they have, and I've missed it please point me to it cos I'd love to enjoyt it. 

[Roomsky]

On 1/19/2026 at 1:57 PM, grailkeeper said:

Has GW ever done a multi author series thats been good all the way through?

 

As far as I know Horus heresy was the first, then beast, then dawn of fire. Good chance I'm missing some.

 

They've all been uneven, which is fair enough when authors differ in quality. But they often end up disjointed.

 

I'm not being a hater. If they have, and I've missed it please point me to it cos I'd love to enjoyt it. 

There was also that AoS multi-author quadrilogy in the Horror imprint, which got cut off at the third book because they canned Horror/nobody bought them. One could argue no one's done a (lengthy) multi-author series that's good all the way through. AFAIK, it's always a decision made for practical reasons rather than the preferred outcome. Star Wars Legends had a few, and they all suffered from the same inconsistencies 40k series have (much as I personally enjoyed New Jedi Order)

The Heresy has the best books, by virtue of having most of the best authors contribute to it. The Beast Arises is probably the best as a series, as for all its issues it doesn't fly off on random tangents and (for a Black Library series) stays relatively focussed. Considering Dawn of Fire didn't really lead to anything coherent, I'd argue it's the worst of both worlds (despite a few stand out entries.)

[DarkChaplain]

I'm still furious about the Morghast books for Warhammer Horror. Seriously, four books and they cancel WITHOUT EVEN A SINGLE WORD SAID after book 3, after a second book that was already somewhat divorced from the supposed plot while having some contradictions, and then seemingly didn't even get acknowledged when book 3 followed up on the first book?

 

BL really messed up the bed there.

 

Also, I'd argue The End Times counts. Josh Reynolds opens and ends it, but other than that, it's a 4-author 5-book series. What it doesn't land is down to the lore books by GW proper.