Wednesday, January 02, 2008

In with the new

Just a quick word from me, as I'm carapace-deep in Titanicus. I hope you all had a fab Christmas, and I'd like to wish you all a wonderful New Year. Anybody made an interesting resolutions?

Oh, and as you contemplate the tasks and goals you might undertake in 2008, you may wish to consider the following Cameroonian adage I read in a newspaper recently: "One who swallows a coconut trusts his anus."

78 comments:

Will Wright said...

Only the usual resoultions quit smoking and finish painting an army,any army.
I have painters ADD.

I hope everyone has a great year

Pack_master said...

Well I may add a common proverb to the camaroonian... (did i spell that right?)

"A good chili always burns twice!"

Anonymous said...

Poi and somersaults

Toymachine said...

HAHAHAHAHA!!!

Excellent quote... now to go tell everyone i know and pretend i made it up!! XD

Rory said...

Thats Legendary... =D

Anonymous said...

Oh bigwill I agree with the painters ADD. I have something around seven armies. One is painted. I love painting but I cant stick to one army. and as for the proverb... Thats quite clever and a bit out there... Who am I to judge?

Skakid185 said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Saxon said...

I decided to post mine so I actually had a record of them for once and so I couldn't claim in two weeks time that I had forgot them and thus couldn't do them... Not that I've used that excuse before.. honest

Anonymous said...

Get back into Warhammer/40K (I've been sort of lacking in finding a gaming group I'm comfortable with). Finally get around to writing a few Warhammer/40K short stories for my own amusement.

Rob Rath said...

Be more productive with my time and write every day.

Strangely, "finish painting an army" was my resolution LAST year, and was the first resolution I actually fulfilled. After 10 years, I have a fully painted and based Guard army.

...and what did I do then, twit that I am? I bought more models.

Dane of War said...

Good wishes to you, too, Dan. I made a bunch of the usual resolutions myself - and thanks to one of them I'm in serious sugar withdrawal.

Anonymous said...

Oooooh, Titanicus....Looking forward to that! Have you seen the image of the Warlord Titan in the Apocalypse rulebook? Much more gothic than the clean-lined "Manga" Warlord Titan we've had for yonks, I much prefer it.

+++Captain Haddock+++

Kampfhamster said...

Hey, packi, you're stealing my quotes! *g* Damn you!

Hm, resoultions... Nope, not this year. I already started to finish the painting of my army bevore so it doesn't count. Stopped smoking some time ago... So no resoultions for me. *g*

Anonymous said...

actually, my new year's resolution is to strip the paint from 400+ old figures I painted many years ago and repaint the whole lot to a more pleasing standard.

I have a feeling this particular resolution will end up carrying over to next year. and the next, and the one after that ...

Pack_master said...

It was for the good, Hamster, I swear by... uh... ah, you got the meaning.

Jeeesh, painting... I got a nasty bunch o' guardsmen lying around here, along with too much half-finished Storm Troopers, Guard-Troops for my Inquisition, and... well... really, REALLY far too many Grey Knight Terminators... all waiting till Doomsday when I'll pick up the pots and brushes again... oh well, not all of them, ome are sittin' here and are in progress, but you know that...

Has anyone a racket of Land Raiders and/or Dreadknoughts unused he doesn't need anymore? My Grey Knights need amour-piercing firepower... :)

Anonymous said...

Hey, Dan. I just got caught up with all of my comics purchases after the holidays (and after spending two days reading OiD and loving the hell out of it) and let me just say that I believe that "OOH! Chewy bone toy! How did Nova know is Cosmo's favorite?" from Nova # 9 is easily the best line I read in a comic from the past year, easily. Perhaps more.

Toymachine said...

"Dan does the jokes around here, buddy."

"Why?"

"'cos... he'll shoot you."

Bodjo said...

"Oh, you can't, can't you, Cant?"

"Feth you, Varl,"

Toymachine said...

Hark: "Can't, Cant, or won't?"

Cant: "Not you too!"

XD I was laughing for hours!!

Rob Rath said...

Just finished OiD a few days ago. Couldn't put it down, and would've finished it in a day if it weren't for my sister's wedding.

I liked it a good deal. The style was definitely different, which worked for the novel's creepier, more psychological tone.


SPOILER


The Ghosts really got mangled in this one though, huh? I have a theory that Dan has to periodically do internal housecleaning when the cast gets too big.

But did Shoggy really have to die THREE TIMES? I think that was my favorite line. "Shoggy Domor died last night. Twice."

I wish I had an audio recording of my groan of disappointment slide-whistling into a sigh of relief.

Though it would be cool for Gaunt's augmetic eyes to shoot lasers, I think I'd have to go with NVG filters or a targeter. Yarrick's got the market cornered on digi-weapon lasers in augmetic eye implants.

Anonymous said...

Mr. Abentt.

Are we going to see any more from the Lone Wolves?

Anonymous said...

And as the skys rumbled with fury, a parting appeared in the clouds and angels were heard singing there sweet an beautiful song, a ray of light doth appeared and shined down on Xhalax who asked the greatest of all questions "Mr Abnett are we going to see any more from the Lone Wolves"
And Dan replied to ST. Xhalax......

their u go a new years reso from me
"To stop breaking Dans balls about anything Wolfish"

i will let RUSS do the talking instead.

Rory said...

Did shoggy survive? it doesnt really tell you i dont think.. he was alive-ish when you last saw him me thinks.. :O

Anonymous said...

O.I.D the Blood Pact were great!i did think Cuu was gonna do Larkin though and B.P. fan or not that would have been a travesty

Anonymous said...

I'm gonna eBay all my unpainted miniatures so I've got more of an apartment to live in. Pretty good so far, made £400 so far.

Going to come in useful for buying more unpainted miniatures.

And i'm going to catch up on my 2000AD Dan, I've been on holiday and fallen behind with my weekly Sinister Dexter fix.

Brandon Black said...

Just read the extract from Legion. Freaking amazing, sir.

As far as resolutions? Get something, anything, done! And finally bow down and get someting non-technical published. Journals are nice but I want to write something for fun for once!

Matt said...

For me, it's time for a new job. I tell you, when you work in a game store and can never find time to play, it's time for a change. Perhaps I should work in a doctor's office so I won't get sick?

Hope you have a good new year!

Anonymous said...

Never been a big new years resolution guy... because I tend not to do anything I set out to do it seems, or at least not in the amount or quality I would want.

But I do say I have painters ADD as well sort of. I have about 1k points of Beasts of Chaos unpainted excluding two units. A wraithlord, Avatar, Minotaur lord UNASSEMBELED (and I love building models... I just hate metals,) a squad of swooping hawks unpainted and about 800 points of guard of which 11 guardsmen are painted. Only my 2k of Eldar is fully painted and based.

I finished OiD (now into Horus Rising,) and I'll post comments later, but it got me in the mood for 40k again...which means I want to finish my guard army... which works out to buying another $420 Canadian worth of stuff after tax, excluding paints. FETH. The prices remind why the books are all I still do currently related to 40k.

Also, anyone know if there was ever a mention of the Belladon colours for the regiment that I missed I guess? If not, Mr. Abnett is there a colour scheme you intended for them? I want to make my guard army a Belladon regiment.

Rory said...

lol. i dont quite understand whats happening in Horus Rising.. im only about 20 pages in.(im a slow reader) but eh, i know horus turns evil.. but im totaly confused.. anyone want to explain whats happening?

Anonymous said...

Rory - Keep reading all will be explained! Enjoy.

Rory said...

Cheers Nik, i will do. Eisenhorn is Awsome! ive read Xenos and the little story set on Samater.. both amazing!

Will Wright said...

The entire Eisenhorn series is great.
And Ravenor is right up there with it.
Infact it was the Eisenhorn series that got me back into the hobby.
One of my favorite books of all time.
Thanks Dan,your books help me pass alot of slow hours at work

Anonymous said...

lol Rory, 20 pages in I was very much in the same boat of, "Wait, wut?" It becomes clear as to what is going on.

Also, I'm only about 120 pages in and I love the irony of their beliefs back then and what not. So far it's as good as I expected.:)

Rory said...

it is awsome. im not used to being all "uh, what the hell?!" but im begining to understand it alittle better. its awsome!

Anonymous said...

the horus heresy series is fantastic though of course Horus Rising is the best closely followed by the flight of the Eisenstein I never thought id like Horus but the series so far as defiantly made me feel for him and some of the other primarchs makes there fall more tragic

Anonymous said...

B.P Steve.

Bugging the crap out of people til you get what you want is a tried and tested method and has worked once before for me in the past and I wish it again.....so I ask....constantly.

Just another nearly 3 years or so to go to create an average.

Anonymous said...

Xhalax u show the determination and fiercness of a true Fenrisian!

Rory i was the same when i first started reading Dans work,but its just Dans way of getting ur mind in the zone!just forget what u think u know an trust Dan,belive me everthing will fall into place.

Rory said...

Yea! im fairly getting my teeth into it, im fairly young read and i read really slow. but Dan is the best reader ive ever encountered.

Toymachine said...

Hes writhings not bad either, mind.

Anonymous said...

B.P Steve - I'm told I have the constitution of one too.

Rory said...

i mean writer.. Writer! i hate mistakes like that..

Kampfhamster said...

Boy, I really had a good laugh about that. Sooo, I think it's time to order some books again. like... 10? Yeah, there are a lot of good ones out again. BL I'm coming!

Ah yeah, Dan. I just found my 4th GG CE agan and it looks weird without your signature. I think we'll have to meet again. I'll bring the chocolate. XD

Anonymous said...

Xhalax - Hopefully not the beard though right ,everything but the beard
you could turn round and say
"steve im strong enough to pull 4 Fenrisian longships" or
"steve i wrestled a kraken single handed" or
"steve i drank 5 drums of ale bested 6 Dark Angels and actually made a Fenrisian wolf SIT all before breakfast" but if u told me u had "The Beard" i dont think i could take u seriously!

Bodjo said...

Um

SPOILER (if anyone here hasn't already mowed through OiD)

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Shoggy lives, yes. Remember he explains to Baskevyl how to rock da house? Hark says that with proper medical care--which one would think he got when the Ghosties finally were relieved--he'd live. Anyhow, wouldn't it be cool if Belladon or Verghast reinforced the Ghosties? It's regimental F.N.G. related stress all over again!

Did anyone else really like the part where Larkin and Rawne drink the ghost-Bragg sacra? 'tis very nostalgic.

Toymachine said...

Yeah i loved that scene too!!

But where was Daur? We were promised more Ban Daur!!! :(

Anonymous said...

B.P Steve.

Awwwww....and I was going to say that I thought I'd look pretty fetching with a beard. Not a big bushy one or anything but a nice, stylist goatee.

And I have to deal with a hairy, smelly and squiggly beast every day and I can get him to sit....and beg, and roll over, and give me a paw, and speak, and walk on his back legs and everything.

Then I consumed vast amounts of sustance and jumped around like a maniac for over an hour.

I = teh win!

Pack_master said...

So... you're married, then? Sounds like a normal marriage to me...


Kampfhamster: I'll kill you!

Anonymous said...

OID SPOILERS


The Bragg Sacra was great, but the sections of Mkoll and Ezrah stood out to me as my favourite bits of any of the books. It was perfect and I've wanted something just like that for a while, always thought it would be cool.

Just wish Ven made it to the party. :(

Kampfhamster said...

That, packi, reminded me of Achmed, the dead terrorist...

"Knock knock."

"Who's there?"

"It's me, I'll kill you."

Johnny Dingo said...

I resolved a long time ago to not make resolutions. I'm just going to try to be better this year than I was last year. So far that means quitting smoking for the first time in 13 years, trying to get a better job, trying to get out of debt and getting my painting projects done.

I just got a $100 gift cert from work, so I bought an assload of books on amazon (including OiD, finally) so I can finally see what all the fun is about.

Kosh said...

Going to try and be less of a smart ass on internet message boards. I've already had to go back and delete a few posts on some. Anonymity brings out the worst. :P

Pack_master said...

Kampfhamster: i thought about posting the link when i wrote that, but what the crud... ;)

Bodjo said...

John - yeah, Mr. Night and Mkoll going to town on the that camp has to be right up there in terms of heroic combat scenes in the whole series. I...just really don't have the words to describe how cool Mkoll is during that part. Sacred feth, soule.

Anonymous said...

For sure. As soon as the wode was applied I just smiled. Truely the most excited I've got over someting in Gaunt's Ghots. Other than maybe reading Novobasky's speech... because I freaking love that speech. ahah, feth I'm lame.

Anonymous said...

just got my white dwarf an theirs an interview with Dan in it about Legion,also the new books cover it look the nuts

Will Wright said...

I wish the publisher would print them quicker,I am dying to read Legion.

Jackwraith said...

Just finished OiD last night. Much better than Armour of Contempt (which wasn't bad, but it was more basic war story than 40K war story and I had very high expectations for the return to Gereon based on Traitor General and it was all pretty 'meh'.)
MILD SPOILER WARNING:










OiD, while a bit predictable in certain ways (as soon as the 'sanctioned psykers' were mentioned before the march out to Hinzenhaus, I had a feeling that the resolution to the very emotional scene with Soric on Herodor was going to come to a close), had me turning the pages with great interest, so that makes it a good read, IMO.

However, I think one device was used twice where once might have been sufficient. When the books are discovered to be xenos-tech, the scene cuts away at the duh-duh-DUHHHH! (soundtrack) moment and we never really find out what the books are, but it compels us to keep reading to learn (in addition to following the action.) That moment (with soundtrack) comes AGAIN when Baskevyl discovers the means to operate the generator. At that moment, I got a little annoyed. We're already following the tense action at the Haus, waiting to see how the Nightgane and Mkoll will find Gaunt, wondering about the books, and dealing with the persistent problem of the visions of dead Ghosts (little joke, there.) And you throw in ANOTHER "can't tell you yet; keep reading!" moment? A bit much, I think.

However, don't let the critical tone overwhelm the general feeling. I really enjoyed it (opened it and finished it in less than two days) and am eager to see where the regiment goes from here.

Toymachine said...

That was... a mouthful

Anonymous said...

Toymachine- u are as ever the master of understatement.

Has any one thought of a regiment without Gaunt!

Rawnes Roughnecks
Milos Malcontents
Mckolls Maraurders

Answers on postcard please

Rob Rath said...

OiD Spoiler


Was I the only one that didn't quite catch if the guns and fortress were a specific 40k historical reference? They mention that the guns are probably Xenos tech, but I might've missed something that was a giveaway.

Or is it all just a big mystery? I'd be ok with that too.

Rory said...

Horus rising. Is. AWSOME! im only around halfway through, but its amazing so far.

HR SPOILER!




im guessing the 'megaarachnids' are Tyranids? :O

Also. its alittle strange, but names of people in my guild on World of warcraft have been popping up in Dans books...


i have a friend called Callide - Captain callide, OiD


I have a Friend called Eidolon - Lord Commander Eidolon from Horus Rising.


hehe.

Pack_master said...

HR SPOILER


No, the Megaarachnids are not tyranids. The Tyranids came into this galaxy first in about 700.M41. And the Megaarachnids are insectoid, or like spiders. Taranids have a completey different physiology.

Toymachine said...

B.p steve - i could grow to like that title. As for the Ghosts without gaunt... I cant see it haappen. He'll just have to get new lazor eyes!! XD

Anonymous said...

My resolutions are generic and dull. Hopefully that'll make them easier to adhere to.

Just finished Only In Death, and as such decided to leave my first comment here: I loved it. Seriously, fething marvellous. Here's hoping the next one isn't too far away.

Anonymous said...

Solaris posted the contents for their Book of Science Fiction:Volume Two today.

http://solaris-editors-blog.blogspot.com/2008/01/solaris-new-science-fiction-2.html

At the bottom of the list (obviously saving the best till last) is Point of Contact by Dan Abnett.

Can you give us any info on this Dan? I know you said a while back you were going to do a story for Solaris, but then nothing since then. Will this mark the beginning of more non games workshop stuff from you?

Bodjo said...

@ John again

"Belladon blood is like wine on the emperor's lips!" Novobazky stormed.

When not at college, I have a good deal of sisters who sleep in quite often in the morning. Our mother always has me wake them up. I used to wake the slackers up by reading that speech out loud. It was really quite funny, but it made them hate me. Now I just loud music...mostly.

Anonymous said...

man i cant belive Heath ledger is dead .What a shame,what a wast.R.I.P.

Rob Rath said...

Since there's been so much talk about augmetic eyes lately...

http://www.engadget.com/2008/01/22/researchers-develop-eye-implantable-camera/

Awesome for the blind, creepy for everyone else.

Anonymous said...

NHZ: That's great, ahah. I for one would be ready to go with a rousing, early morning belting of "FURY!"

Heath Ledger's death saddens me greatly. Dark Knight is going to be a different movie experience now... quite a different one. I feel really bummed out becuase of this, truely one of the best actors in his generation I'd say.


Also just finish Horus Rising last night.

SPOILERS?

Great read, loving how the story is being set up. It's a interesting look at the Imperium. I can't wait to continue the series. The ending bit with Erebus was quite surprising.

A couple questions for Dan if he reads this:
Did all of the authors involved in the series plan out the majority of the events before or is it just building off the last book or what ever other method?
And was the name Saul Tarvitz supposed to sound that much like Saul of Tarsus? Am I looking too much into that?

heh, thanks for any answers.

Pack_master said...

Most of the names, and nearly every event, are part of the background for many years now, long before the books, so that's not Dans Doing ;)

Anonymous said...

Names are pretty important to Dan, and he works hard to get them right. eg. If anyone is interested 'Ibram', is a variant of Abraham and means 'father of many.' Pretty damned appropriate!

Pack_master said...

Well, Ibram was not that difficult. What i wanna know...

Oan
Nahum
Nathun (yes, Xhalax ;) )
Agun, of course
Harlon
Kara
Midas
Medea


Well... that's enough of a list for now... sorry for that ;)

Rory said...

Didnt dan say Oan Was based on a folk legend or somthing?

Anonymous said...

just got my downloaded copy of warhammer 30 000 from "belloflostsouls" who blogged the info on this site.It is really good ,well laid out,quality minatures well worth a look .It must have taken a while to do and it shows .To the team who made it well done and congratulations on a job well done "thats a fact".Its good to see fellow gamers who stil have the passion to pull of something like this!.

Apart from looking forward to Legion im am also awaiting Titanicus .Having seen the trailers for Cloverfield and watched the attack on the airbase in transformers (again.the films good) im cant wait for some giant heavy metal action.

Bodjo said...

Still no new post? BOOOOOOO

Anonymous said...

Hey, Dan - did you hear that the Dark Heresy game which has just been released is ALREADY being canned? I read your contributions to it, and think it's a fantastic piece of work...do you have any view on all this? The fan forums are going mental!

The book was released on jan 25th, was a huge success, has sold out, then yesterday they announced that they're closing Black Industries! The general consensus is that the timing is shocking, especially when we've been waiting for a 40K RPG for years...Any view?

Pack_master said...

Found something reeeeally nice (oh, well, Kampfhamster found it, but what the feth ;) )

http://jeenhoong.deviantart.com/gallery/

Really, REALLY nice.

Anonymous said...

Mr. Abnett...a question!

Any hint as to the possibility of you doing signings in London (either GW or FP) for Legion and a time frame in which that might be happening so I can dispatch my older sibling with all due haste at the right time to retrieve my copy?