I thought many people would like to see this. The wonderful audio book version of Embedded produced by the splendid people at Brilliance. End of September release date, as I understand it.
Second of all... I'm going to be doing some more video blogging, so I need questions to answer... or at least to use as prompts from which to ramble indiscriminately for half a fething hour until I remember the point of what I was saying.
Please send them in. ASAP!*
*Please note "Why did you kill Bragg?" is not a question.
43 comments:
ADB is a massive fan of yours and is now considered one of the top BL authors (for me its 1. you 2. ADB 3. Graham - but its v. close). You can see how much of a fan of 30k/40k he is in his writing. I'm sure he has learned alot from you, have you learnt anything from him? If so, what?
Thanks (and please can you make more clones so we get more of your books)
AC
Dear Mr Abnett,
I was wondering. When you create a unique chapter, like the Iron Snakes, is there a set way you create them? Do you start with the tactical squads and work up? Or do you Start with the chapter Master and work down? Or do you just sit down and write and see how they end up?
Ever your faithful clone, i mean Fan!!!
B.R.Stark
Dear Mr. Abnett,
Before I ask my questions, I would like to take a minute to say that I greatly admire and enjoy your work, as well as to thank you for the immense time and effort you put into the Warhammer Universe. In particular, in Prospero Burns, your achievement in transforming the Space Wolves, from a chapter which was always firmly planted on the goofy side of the fine line between goofy and gritty, into something which is not only gritty, but cool, scary, and, most of all, something which firmly makes sense in the game world, is a particularly impressive exercise of the writers craft. I am also extremely happy to see you return to your Inquisitor novels, as those are amongst my favorite books.
With Regard to the Horus Heresy Series: Does the Emperor have any children (as he did in previous editions of the game universe), and, if he does, will any of them appear as characters with a role to play in the Horus Heresy series. Similarly, do any of the Primarchs have children, and, if they do, will any of them appear as characters with a role to play in the series?
Also With regard to the Horus Heresy Series: Can you please explain why the Emperor’s decision to put Angron in charge of anything, let alone an entire Legion of Space Marines, makes any sense whatsoever?
With Regard to the Adeptus Astartes: Is the gene seed of the Adeptus Astartes, which transforms humans into Space Marines, biologically compatible with humans who have the Pariah Gene? If so, are there any Space Marines with the Pariah Gene, and might we see one or more of them in an upcoming novel in either the Horus Heresy or 40K lines?
Also with Regard to the Adeptus Astartes: Is the gene seed of the Adeptus Astartes compatible with the Navigator gene? And if so, are there any Space Marines with the Navigator Gene, and might we see one or more of them in an upcoming novel in either the Horus Heresy or 40K lines?
FENRIS HJOLDA!
Jason of Baal
I'd like to know... How did it all started? I mean, The First Of Tanith. Was that your original idea? Or did it change as well as you were writing? Thank you so much. (P. S. -> I'm @CordeliaAutum in twitter, if you want to let me to know that you've answered me. Thank you again.)
Between 40K, 2000AD and your own stuff, how much cross contanmination is there?
Hi Dan,
Could you give us your thoughts on the recently announced Guardians of the Galaxy film? Are you associated with the creative process in any way?
Alex
Oooh so many questions where to start...hmmm
1. Have your writing patterns changed? We used to see a Gaunt book each year (when you were in a cycle of producing an arc) but it looks like it will now be one every two years?
2. There's a theory on the interweb that Brin Milo might be a perpetual. Is that true?
3. Will "The Victory" arc be the last GG set?
4. Pariah comes out soon (yippeee). Can you tell us how the Bequin trilogy meshes with Eisenhorn and Ravenor - ie is it set after Ravenor chronologically or does it cover some of the same time period as the other triologies?
5. You have mentioned before that you have a number of short stories about Eisenhorn and Ravenor and there was going to be an anthology. Is this still going to happen or are they now going to be audio-dramas like The Keeler Image?
6. What happened with The Keeler Image?
7. The HH series clearly has shared characters and plots etc shared between authors but recently you and ADB shared something/someone from Ravenor in The Emperor's Gift. That was a great easter egg - do you think there will be more of this in the 40k setting?
8. Anymore graphic novels/comic strips set 40k coming up?
9. When will we see Interceptor City?
10. Will there be another Titanicus novel?
11. Will there be another Iron Snakes novel?
12. Are you involved (or can you say) in the Forgeworld Horus Heresy campaign books?
Sure there are plenty more but that's enough for now. Thanks
Duke_Leto
P.S. When will we know about the BIG SECRET BLACK LIBRARY THINGS you cannot tell us about? Come on just tell us!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
1. Will Cherubael be returning in the Bequin trilogy?
2. Do you have any plans to write more of the Iron Snakes?
3. Will we see the entirety of The Underworld War in The Unremembered Empire?
4. Can you reveal any of the "BIG SECRET BLACK LIBRARY THINGS!!"?
5. Will Hyperion play a role in any future Inquisitor works of yours? Perhaps meeting Ravenor again?
Thanks in advance for what you can answer.
LotN
2 years on, have you been tempted to introduce your personal experience with epilepsy into any of your work?
Has it influenced any characters in ways that we; the audience, haven't clocked onto?
Also, have you tried these nachos?
What can we expect from the next Gaunt's Ghosts novel?
Something I've noticed about your 40K writing is that you (as far as I can tell) have never used a non-human protagonist or antagonist: there are Orks as enemies in the Gaunt series, but (for example) neither Eisenhorn nor Ravenor ever went up against an alien bad guy (despite Eisenhorn being Ordo Xenos), and aliens hardly feature at all in the Horus Heresy books you've written. Chaos gets all the attention. "Embedded" is also set in an apparently completely anthrocentric universe.
Have you deliberately avoided writing about aliens or has the muse simply not struck you? What would a 40K book, featuring aliens as major characters, and written by you, look like?
Another question: will there be another edition of STONE?
Hey Dan,
Here are some questions for you.
1. Where the heck have you been for the last 3 months? Every year around my uni exam period your blog goes ominously quiet and I have nothing to district me at lunch times in between studying for my exams. I checked with the IOC if Team Abnett had entered into the Olympics, but the clones apparently didn’t take part. Why didn’t we see Team Abnett in the 4x100m?
2. I have repeatedly asked you this question but have never received an answer. You are by far the best author at Black Library (with that pesky ADB yapping at your heels). Therefore, I think it is only right that you write the final Horus Heresy book detailing the siege of Terra and the confrontation between Horus and The Emperor. Can you confirm that you have been booked for this most awesome undertaking? And if not, WHY NOT!?! If it hasn’t been decided, how will it be? Will all the BL authors be going on an episode of Wipeout with Richard Hammond?
3. I think out of all the Horus Heresy authors you have been the most effective at bringing the Primarchs to life and giving the distinct impression that they are demigods. You have done a fantastic job with Dorn, Sanguinius, Russ, Alpharius/Omegon and Guilliman. Especially Roboute, so much so that I actually think the Ultramarines are ultra-cool. Now you have established these characters, will they be yours and only yours to play with? Will you be the only one to write about them? I’m aware that these are a lot of characters, but basically I think you wrote the Imperial Fists and Ultramarines so well I think you should keep em and I don’t want to see anyone else messing with em.
4. Which of the Primarchs is your favourite, or putting it another way which loyalist and which traitor Primarch is your favourite and why?
5. Which Primarch in the HH series would you like to write about that you haven’t done already? I remember reading somewhere/watching a previous video of yours that you liked the idea of writing about a Space Marine legion/chapter that took its recruits from a world were its people roamed across plains, hunting great beasts. Am I right in thinking this? To me, that had a White Scars kind of feel to it.
Tom in Norwich
6. You mentioned that at some stage you’d like to write about the Imperial Navy in the Sabbat Worlds. Have you developed any ideas yet and is there a projected date for release? And would you base it on a type of Hornblower or Aubrey–Maturin series, or make your own spin on things?
7. Any chance of a political novel set in the upper echelons of the Sabbat Crusade command structure, with intrigue, sex and murder? As long as you don’t get the Guardian Bad Sex Award it would be a pretty fun idea, taking 40k somewhere where it hasn’t really been (apart from maybe your Inquisitor novels). Talking of sex, are there any areas that you try and avoid when writing a novel or are you pretty open if it helps move the plot along?
8. Will there be any more Iron Snakes books?
9. When will we see Interceptor City?
10. Have you ever had an embarrassing moment meeting one of your fans?
11. Do people recognise you on the street and where was the weirdest place you were recognised?
12. Reading Embedded, I recognised references made to seizures (which was understandable, given the nature of the story and the trials that Lex Falk had to go through). Did your diagnosis of epilepsy give you the idea of writing Embedded or had you already developed the idea?
I’m impressed with the accurate clinical references you’ve made in your books including Embedded and Titanicus and some of the GG books. And Ana Curth is such a great character. I’ve met a few of female nurses/doctors like her before (one cardiac consultant on placement that scared the shit out of me). There aren’t many healthcare workers like Ana Curth in the NHS, but she is pretty spot on.
12. What happened to Big Mouse? And what happened to Bloom?
13. Freek the Future!
14. Who would have more success with the ladies, Ibram Gaunt or Elim Rawne?
15. Out of all your characters, who would you take to the pub and who would you invite to a dinner party?
16. Was Prometheus as bad as everyone said it was?
17. Will we ever see Brin Milo again?
Tom in Norwich
My questions: When should we expect another Gaunt's Ghost novel?
And there's rumor of more Maleus Darkblade stories. Are the rumors true, and if so when can we expect more of our favorite Dark Elf to surface?
hi Dan,
I was wondering what made you write about the Alpha Legion and whose idea was it to come up with the twin primarchs, (obviously i know that you cannot divulge anything) but will you be writing a follow up to Legion?
Many thanks
Jackie
P. S. Are you personally gona be writing about the Emperor and the Webway War?
P.P.S. What is this Unremembered Empire book I'm hearing about?
P.P.P.S. Why can't you write all the Horus Heresy books?
On a final note, I'd just like to say that Prospero Burns was an awesome book and you dealt with the Wolves in a way that worked really well. Kasper Hawser made the Wolves so more engaging. Please don't listen to the haters. If they had their way all BL books would be boring. You make them so enjoyable that when I first start reading a new book of yours I have to have it with a beer, listening to a drum and base/breakbeat/house mix tape I've made especially to listen along to whilst getting some literary Abnett crack.
Rock on Dan!
Tom in Norwich
If you could convince / force any author, living or dead, to write a book for BL or a script for a comic; who would you pick and what would the plot be?
The ghost of Jack Vance writing about the mechnicus? Neil Gaiman forced to detail a war between the Orks and Tyranid (a whole novel with only grunts and hissing for dialogue heh heh)? Mabey Margret Attwood making bolter porn?
P.S. Making someone else do one of your projects for you counts, but only for half points.
Hi Dan,
Marvel Question:
I see no one has asked about it yet so I will. Will you be working on the Guardians of the Galaxy movie closely or at all? And can the same be said about the next Avengers movie since the ending alluded to Thanos?
What are your thoughts about Marvel's decision to go the galactic route with the Avengers?
Warhammer Questions:
Will we see our favorite Dark Elf, Malus Darkblade ever again?
Have you thought about or been approached by Black Library to do series on a Time of Legends character? Which ToL character would you be interested in writing?
40K Questions:
I know I've asked before, but any chance of Necromunda making a comeback?
Has there been any word around the Black Library concerning another Sabbat World's series starting up?
Thanks for all the great stuff!
Boom
1. Have you considered doing author collaboration work for the 40k ‘verse? Whether standalone novel or a planned series is there a subject beaconing you and whomever like to pursue after in the coming years?
2. For the other on-going series outside the HH – Time of Legend trilogies, Warhammer Heroes, Space Marine Battles – might there be something to anticipate from them? Begin the 40K counterpart to Warhammer Heroes? (e.g Miriael Sabathiel, the slaaneshi-corrupted sister of battle)
3. The vast majority of your work has been based within an IP and few independent titles have only just appeared recently from Angry Robots. Surely there must be more original stories other than licensed IP that you wish to see publish? In extension, will you ever make yourself a personal universe of some sort as sereval authors have established, your magnum opus if you will, or are the open sandboxes too much fun to leave awhile?
4. Have you been able to repress the internal editor as you do make through your first draft? I find that infernal "self-perfection" voice hard to resist while trying to write continually forward without looking back.
5. More Magos Drusher stories please.
6. Still going for the White Scars novel for the HH? With “Little Horus” you at least have begun exploring their ways a bit. If not possible does the 40k-era offer itself as a tempting venture?
7. The Big Question: A year ago I tried inquiring about the matter of the mentioned appearance of a character made governor, Major General Hestor Navarre of the Ouranti Draks from A Thousand Sons and realized name connection with Gaunt’s mentioned flagship, also named Navarre (Although that inquiry came to no avail.) I haven’t read anything past The Saint so I have no idea if that vessel was explored further in the series.
Anyway by slipping that particle named figure into the heresy book, was that a nod to your 'daniverse', pure coincidence, or there some greater HH scheme waiting to have somebody make his mark in future HH history?
Even so, a novel (or more) by yourself, focused on the Imperial Army and their schism* would be an excellent break from the grand struggles of primarchs and astartes is justly deserved.
Anyway, keep on writing sir!
*Is there a way we, the readers, can give our lives to the Imperium (or the Traitors) out in the battlefields or sacrificial pits, heh, if found suitable…
Ok your the best. I guess what i really want to know is: what is your next horus heresy novel and will you be writing the final book, the epic battle of terra?
In regards to double eagle, you once did an interview with the independent characters, where you were asked about ta justification for an air war, when the imperials could have simply bombed the chaos forces from orbit unfortunately you weren't given the chance to completely answer the question, so I was wondering if you could do so on your video blog.
Thanks
Jeremy
Hi there and thanks for all your work!
A question I have that I realize might fall into the category of top secret (or at least "dont explain") lore is: why would the emperor *not* tell his sons about the influences and beings that make up chaos, thus preparing them? Considering that his primarchs are already tasked with the huge responsibility of conducting the reknitting of the lost empire and their supposed level of intelligence and overall super-super humanism, this just seems negligent in the extreme. It's a setup for failure.
Could this not have been solved in a more realistic manner without sacrificing the conflict needed for the overall story arc?
Another smaller question is, will we ever more forward in time in the W40k universe in terms of overall developments regarding the empire and the emperor, or will we be stuck forever in the same approximate time span and set of conditions?
Regards,
Jon
In November this year is it true that you are going to an opening of a new wargaming store in Camberly
Sorry more questions from me...
14. With the Space Marine Battles, William King writing about Macharius and ADB having announced he is indeed going to write his "Rise of Warmaster Abaddon" series - does it mean BL are relaxing a bit and allowing stories set in the era between the HH and 40k? (P.S. nothing against William King but I really wish you were writing about Macharius)
15. Connected to 14 - is there anything from the era between HH and 40k that YOU would like to write about?
16. Has there been any discussions about a series of books about the Age of Apostasy? Is it a goer?
After the Space Wolves sacked Prospero, did Russ ever realize the Thousand Sons had been loyal before he attacked, and that Chaos had suckered him?
What happened to the story called The Keeler Image? Was it part of the new Eisenhorn Audio Books? Or is it still in Progress?
Hi Dan, am enojying your Hypernaturals series, is thisan ongoing oir a series of related mini's. Also do you find having written novels has given you more depth/background in this series (it is a good read) than mnay other comci writers whose stuff is a bit lightweight and an issue is read in a minute?
P.P.P.P.S. Will you write another Warhammer novel? Riders of the Dead is one of my favourite Abnett novels. If so how many years will we have wait and what will the story be about?
Cheers
Tom in Norwich
Dan,
I tweeted a couple of questions a while ago, but I'll repeat them here, just in case.
Did you kill Midas Betancore because he was your darling?
One you've already answered in an email, but again that was a while ago, and things may have changed?
How does Russ feel after he learns about Horus turning? Now knowing that Magnus was right. Does he leave for the Eye of Terror to make his peace with him, or to finish the job?
And a new one for the last.
When you were writing Eisenhorn, had you set out to write 40K noir type thriller?
Thanks for the words.
Jack
Morph from Art Attack would like to know:
Regarding The Lightning Tower:
If the smoke pale portrait of a woman with the most curious smile is the Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci; and if garish yellow flowers rendered in thick paint is Sunflowers by Van Gogh; what is the unflinching, rheumy gaze of an old fleshy man, cast in shadow, tobacco brown?
Something by Caravagio?
And did you really turn Tarik Torgaddon into a daemon in Know No Fear?!?
did this every get answered? When is Lone Wolves (Wolf?) two coming out?
I mean ever...
OK, here's a few questions from Lightbringer:-
(1) In his crippled state, and given his immense psychic powers, Ravenor actually somewhat resembles the Emperor himself. Was this a conscious echo, or were you thinking of other archetypes surrounding the crippled genius/psychic?
(2)As a purely hypothetical exercise, if you were asked to create one of the two "lost" space marine Legions, how would you portray them?
(3) Who's your favourite Primarch, excluding Alpharius/Omegon?
(4) In Prospero Burns, a character mentions that each Primarch and Legion has a function...the Space Wolves are described as the Emperor's executioners. What do you see the function of each Primarch/Legion as being?
(5)er...
(6) That's it.
By the way - Morph from Art Attack - I'm thinking Rembrandt, maybe?
Mr. Abnett,
My series of questions has to do with Gaunt and Curth's relationship. I want to know where you feel their relationship is at, and maybe a hint on how you plan to proceed with their relationship.
Thank you,
Sky
Dear Mr Abnett
1) When will the next GG's novel be released?
2) Will the Ghosts ever come across the Bluebloods or Vitrians again? Or the Roane for that matter...they were pretty awesome.
3)Will there be another source book to follow up the Sabbat's World Crusade (lets face it quite a lot has happened since then!)
Thanks
MJ
Apologies, Tom in Dulwich - just realised I asked the same questions as you about Dan's favourite Primarch! That'll teach me not to read the other questions before posting!
Can I change my question, then? How about this one:-
"Dan, you have shown a real interest in exploring facets of the 40k setting that are outside the "Imperial Guard and Space Marine" mainstream, such as the Inquisition, Adeptus Titanicus and Imperial Navy. Are there any other aspects of the setting that you feel are crying out to be explored? A John Le Carre style Officio Assasinorum novel? An exploration of madness via the Adeptus Astra Telepathica? An office based farce set in the Administratum?"
-Lightbringer
Hello Mr. Abnett,
I hope you are well.
I have a couple of questions about your Warhammer 40k stories.
About the Inquisitor stories:
1. I really enjoyed the audiobook "Thorn wishes Talon". Can we expect more of that in the future? I really want to read the story about Nathun Inshabel, which is hinted in the Eisenhorn trilogy (the one we should ask him about).
2. Will there be a Gaunts Ghosts book next year or do you plan to write the other 2 Benquin-trilogy books first?
3. How long after the Ravenor-trilogy does Pariah start?
About Horus Heresy:
1. Will the siege of Terra be the end of the series or will there be epilog books showing what happens to all the Characters after that?
2. There are still some legions that haven't had a full book dedicated to them. Will there be a full book for every legion or do some legions just not have enough stories in them to fill a whole book?
3. Who will write the last book?
4.When writing a HH book, how much freedom does GW give you, when it comes to making up new stories or adding new things to the story (like new traits for a legion or primarch, bringing in Enuncia in the "HH-World")?
5. I like the way you are only hinting at the 2 lost legions. How much more will you reveal about those 2 legions? (i hope not everything, but maybe a name or such)
Thank you very much for the great book you give us and keep up the good work.
-Sören
1 more question (more a request)
Hemmingway wrote a famous short story with only 6 words:
"For sale: baby shoes, never worn."
(of course YOU know, but not all the viewers).
I have seen many authors writing there own 6-word-story as an homage to Hemmingway.
Could you give us 6 words story?
thank you an bye,
Sören
Dear Mr Abnett.
As someone who has stubbornly not read past the third Gaunts Ghost's omnibus in order to get a bigger dose of awesome in one go when the Victory comes out, I ask. Will the saint Sabbat and Brin Milo appear in it? If not do you have something planned for them in the near future?
Your die hard fan
Haukur Gudjonsson
You are a phenomenal writer. Keep it the feth up!
Hi Dan
I just finished Titanicus (I know one of your older books)I havent had much of an interest in Titans but I found it a great if not an engrossing read the story lines were fabulous I really got the feel what everyone was going through.Here is my question are you planning a sequel to it? I'd be interested in seeing the Prinzhorn story to see how that ends up with his Moderati, and what happens to the Samstag girl, to see if Gearhart looses the plot.And surely you'd have to be interesting to see how things on Orestes end up.
Anyway thats my bit thanks for the great work and keep those keys a tapping. Titanicus Reborn emm has a nice ring. Cheers B
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