Wednesday, November 29, 2006

Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain

All you eager posters asked me a bunch of stuff about the last post, so I've tried to address your questions on the comment strand there (go take a look) rather than here. So this is a blog entry about nothing, then. Nice one, Dan.

(Stands for a moment, checks watch, whistles). Well, I started in on Only In Death, which may turn out to be the CREEPIEST Gaunt yet. More on that as it takes shape. I'm also particularly loving scripting Sinister Dexter for 2000AD at the moment (and a new strip for the same, Kingdom, which Richard Elson is drawing... it's looking amazing). Andy Lanning and I are getting Nova ready to fly.

I'm also trying to figure out what to make my next Horus heresy novel about. Any ideas (apart from Space Wolves, before we get started on that again!).

Fingers crossed, the next time I blog, I'll be able to announce the Bg Secret Project.

22 comments:

Anonymous said...

Creepy Gaunt novel? Sounds interesting... really interesting...

"Any ideas (apart from Space Wolves, before we get started on that again!)"

*start weeping*

;)

Anonymous said...

Okay here's a suggestion. How about survivors of Istvaan? Or maybe those Space Marines who, for one reason or another, didn't make it to the party and still hold their allegiance to either the Emperor, a Primarch, or the even the ideals of the crusade?

-AW

Anonymous said...

Hello there, i just picked up reading 40k novels, particularly Gaunts Ghosts and i cant believe how amazing they are. Im really interested in the Horus Heresy story and as far as suggestions go, i dont know how many more of those books Black Library wants out, but i think you have to be the one involved with the end of the story, the battle for terra and all the badass fighting that happened during it. You could tell that story better than anyone.

Anonymous said...

A creepy Gaunt? That should be awesome. But here's the real question...When is Gaunt(and his Ghost) finally going to win his own world? I mean he did kind of promise the Ghost that if they ever won a world it would become New Tanith...And I totally thought it was going to be Gereon(since they have the Untill). Will Gaunt ever fulfil that promise Mr. Abnett? Because it seems that that part of the story has kinda of be lost...

BTW great work on everything, can't wait for the 40K comic. When can we expect a Gaunt's Ghost Graphic Novel?

As for the Horus Heresy, I havn't read those yet(I plan on it) so I don't know if it has already happened but maybe you could elaborate more on Gav's Angels of Darkness and how the The Lion waited to see who would come out on top or maybe the fight that started the DA/SW fued(if those have already been written about sorry).

Anonymous said...

Is this part of the Horus Heresy series, or do you plan on writing a seperate novel entirely then?

Anonymous said...

I'm also trying to figure out what to make my next Horus heresy novel about. Any ideas

how about the Horus Heresy?? BOOM, BOOM

seriously though ... as I'm sure you realized when you started thinking about the first novel, the Horus Heresy has a huuuge scope for potential storylines, any one of which could be significant and engrossing as any of the others. on one hand, I think that the series so far has missed out on some of the most peculiar and intriguing personalities - the Primarchs Perturabo and Alpharius spring immediately to mind - but on the other, I realize that you guys couldn't have a disconnected storyline jumping around all over the galaxy and trying to hold down half a dozen remotely-related threads at once ... at least, not in 400-page novels, else they wouldn't be readable.

I mean, since it's very much a character-driven story, the events have gotta fit around the primarchs more than anything else. the Raven Guard, Night Lords and Iron Warriors were all heavily involved in the initial events of the Heresy, yet the exact nature of their roles and those of their leaders never seem to have been explored much. I don't know if they and/or the Drop Site Massacres are covered in the 4th novel at all, but they might be worth considering.

it'd also be nifty to see exactly what's going on back on Terra itself, as the central governors of the Imperium begin to suspect that all may not be well with their brave new galaxy, and the Emperor not be quite so omniscient/omnipotent as everyone had hitherto assumed...

Anonymous said...

It's just be nice to see something about some of the lesser used Legions like the Raven Guard or Salamanders.

Night Lords might not be too shabby either.

Imperial Fists maybe...since you made a good impression with Rogal Dorn, I expect some stuffed shirt...but I was very pleased when you gave Dorn a sense of humour.

And I shake my fist at being shot down with the Space Wolves. All I can say is that whoever pulled that one better make a good job of it or I'll not be pleased.

Anonymous said...

@Xhalax
I don't think Space Wolves are going to be covered - 'Galaxy in Flames' spoke about how Russ had already beaten Magnus down, and Horus said the Thousand Sons would be forced to join them now.

Toymachine said...

Dont talk like that, Dan.
What did the space wolves ever do to you?

...AND i didn't plan for my little teaser to spiral out of control like that. It was just a retorical question that would make you think about the dark gods, reincarnation and just life in general (Nothing important then, i hear you say).

As for the Horus Herecy, which, i believe does end, as somebody told me Horus dies (I know! I didnt believe him either.), Why not do a spin-off involving one of the lesser knowen primarches? I collect salamander space-marines, why not do somthing on a lesser chapter like them?

And why does EVERYONE finish their message with a smiley?

- :)
(Doh!!)

Anonymous said...

Out of curiosity, Mr. Abneet. Is there any chance at all that one Agun Soric will ever make a re-apperance into Guants Ghosts.

He was one of my favorite characters, and i loved the whole brass shell of future telling.

Please bring him back, even if its as a sanctioned psyker in the Ghost regiment. Given his skills, he would benift a regiment of the Imperial guard. And with the Ghosts (81st first recon) He knows everyone!!

Anonymous said...

"I'm also trying to figure out what to make my next Horus heresy novel about. Any ideas (apart from Space Wolves, before we get started on that again!)."

How about the Titan Legions? Or the Imperial Army? The Heresy is always told from the perspective of the Astartes, but they weren't the only ones to turn traitor.

Anonymous said...

I would love to see a cross over with Gaunt's Ghosts. Maybe finding the survivors of Istavaan 3. The destruction of the loyalists in the Horus Heresy book 3 was brutal:
viral bombs, setting the planet on fire, THEN sending in troops to finish them off. #@##@ brutal, Juice!!!

Garviel Loken better be alive. grrr...

Anonymous said...

Hey Dan. How about the Raven Guard as others have said, they dont get the recognition that the other chapters get.

:)

Anonymous said...

lordofthenight - There's always space for books that take place while the main storyline is happening.
Just look at Flight of the Eisenstein. That's happening at the same time as the events in Galaxy in Flames, but from a different perspective and with other people.
Plus there's Russ and Johnson's journey to Terra to aide the Emperor as well as the aftermath. The possibilities for a Wolves book are there....if they're going to get done at all.

Anonymous said...

witchy for a look: what I think you meant to write was

The Horus Heresy series is an ideal opportunity to give the Emperor a voice - to frame his bloated ego and lack of vision, to provide a glimpse into the depth of his colossal arrogance or perhaps how those close to him came to despise and ultimately murder him against his wish.

;)

Toymachine said...

The emperor, eh?
I wouldn't bite on more than i can chew. I agree with that "WITCHY FOR A LOOK" guy - writing on him would be very -VERY- dificult to pull off. How would you describe the savior of mankind? No, not Chuck Norris - the emperor. If you do though, Dan, Be sure and give him a sence of humor.

:) - NO!!! Yeah, smileys are great. Fething things.

Anonymous said...

mr. abnett, just finished 'the armour of contempt', and i must say i am excited and frustrated at the same time. waiting for new novels from you causes me great pain.

i have been a warhammer 40k & warhammer fantasy geek for many years, but it was your writing that got me into the fiction. thank you, sir.

and, when i had you autograph my copy of 'traitor general' at gduk 2005, you wrote 'sacred feth'.

fething perfect.

Anonymous said...

I hate to have to go back to the Space wolves again but the lone wolves graphic novel was fantastic and dans description of Russ so far has fired everyones imagination.Hopefully the sacking of Prospero (a rare thing nowdays the imperium in an all arms assault against chaos)will not only show good guys that scare the hell out of the bad guys(name one other Primarch that the emperor went to see with a glamour surounding him whilst in full terminator plate an beat him unconcious with his power fist) but give dan a chance to explore his own invention of psi blanks or nulls eg. The Sisters of Silence and lets not forget the Custodes there to make sure the Emperors orders are followed (to keep Russ in line) itll be great

Anonymous said...

For what its worth, I would like the Horus Heresy series expand on what is going on elsewhere in the Imperium as the conflict escalates.

The obvious solution is a collection of short stories from various perspectives of the conflict and I am sure that the Black Libray will have a similar idea (naturally Mr Abnett should be involved).

As far as a novel is concerned, I would like to see Dan work on the Mars rebellion and the schism of the Adeptus Mechanicus there (perhaps initially as a signs and portents sort of book rather than full on rebellion).

This would be a tremendous set up for the inevitable Terran campaign and would be a good challenge for Dan to firstly flesh out the early years of the Mechanicus (Titans et al) and secondly make for an entertaining read which could allude to what is going on in the rest of the Terran system at the time.

James
Wales

nemesis749 said...

Cant wait for the creepy new Ghosts novel. Also wanting to know about the Tanith getting rights to first planet they conquer. A good point in the Horus Heresy Saga to jump into would be the attack on The Blood Angels or the Dark Angels Chapter splitting in twain over whom to follow...Loyalst or Traitor. In my humble opinion Mr Abnett has done literature a great justice by picking up a pen and writing such engrossing stories. keep up the great work.

overly large fan

Anonymous said...

james:

As far as a novel is concerned, I would like to see Dan work on the Mars rebellion and the schism of the Adeptus Mechanicus there

i like this idea too, although i think it'd be tricky to have it as the basis for an entire novel owing to the insularity of the mechanicus and the formalized nature of their dealings with the rest of the imperium. it would make an excellent subplot for a wider-scope novel, though - the nature of the mechanicus schism and the parties involved have never really been described, but i enjoyed Ben Counter's Dark Adeptus with the renascent corruption story immensely.

Anonymous said...

To be honest, I don't think I have an opinion on what the next Horus book is about as long as a) you are getting to the Heresy itself eventually (I'm all about the 'BOOM, BOOM' too) and b) I have a time machine so I can go ahead in the future and not have to wait to REEEAAAD it. =)

I hate waiting...*sigh*...keep it up, Dan!