red lantern

I am a big fan of the Black Library books which complement the Warhammer and Warhammer 40K universes. I have enjoyed almost all of the books I have read which come from over a dozen authors such as Dan Abnett, CL Werner, Graham McNeil, Gav Thrope and Jomathan Green. Personally I find them to usually have tight and well plot story lines with good subplots and expansive character detailing for both protagonist and antagonist. Usually told from inside the character's mind.

I was wondering what others familiar with them thought of them from a writer's perspective.

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When you look into an abyss, the abyss also looks into you: Friedrich Nietzsche.

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wmd

I have never read them, but I used to play 40k with my brother and cousin.

Are the books really that good? I have found that books based on such things are kind of drab and poorly written. It seems that the publishers of such books are more concerned with how well the brand sells rather than selling quality writing.

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Kane

I've read all the Eisenhorn and Ravenor books, as well as a couple by Gav Thorpe. I really like Abnett's writing. I think he's getting better with each book.

red lantern

It is true they are churned out on a pretty regular basis (I wish I was getting the cheques). But I think because the Warhammer worlds are quite expansive there is a fair bit of freedom for the authors to move about and indulge themselves and focus on just a small area they really love. Still most of the older books were based on the Space Marines slaughtering their enemies (nothing wrong with that) but now there are quite a good many exploring other aspects including the lives of the common soliders and the Inquisition.

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When you look into an abyss, the abyss also looks into you: Friedrich Nietzsche.

I live in a cemetery full of good will and integrity: Silverchair

Anarkos

The freebie book I got with a White Dwarf when I was 13 was kinda bollocks.

But, then, when I took my last Space Marine army into a Games Workshop store, they told me I was sick. This might be due to the fact that my converted chapter master had a lot of blood and about 7/8 of a Dark Eldar hanging off his lightning claws. It was tasteful, I tell you. Tasteful.

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Ariakas

I have read a lot of the books by William King (the whole Gotrek & Felix-series, as well as Space Wolf), one book by Nathan Long and a compiliation of short stories called Swords of the Empire. But it is the books by Abnett that I really enjoy. Riders of the Dead was so simple, and still so alive while Horus Rising is one of the best books I haver read in that kind of settings

woodcut.evolution

A lot of the old Black Library books were really really bad. Little better then fan fiction really. Granted I loved them anyways because I loves me some 40k. But with Dan Abnett joining the catalog, the quality seems to have stepped up for the most part.

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++ Imagination is more important than knowledge - Albert Einstein ++

torn

I have to admit i lot of the black library books arent that great. I have read quite a lot of them to make this judgement.

I have been a games workshop/citidel miniatures fan for over 15 years, and a lot of the names on the spines on my bokshelf come from fans of the game who used to write white dwarf articles and flash fiction. Some of them arent too bad at it.

Let the galaxy burn, a 40k anthology of short stories, is quite good, about 75% are interesting and readable.

The horus heresy series could have been better, i have read all three so far. Dan Abnetts first book was amazing, Graham Mc niells second book in the series was ok, and Ben Counters third installment wasnt good at all. I think this mainly comes from a different author doing each book, although i still eagerly await Flight of the Eisenhorn and Fulgrim, only hoping that they will be better.

A lot of the writers games workshop now 'own' have come from their purchase of DC Comics, and therefore owning 2000AD. A lot of the writers have been writing science fiction and fantasy comics and stories for decades and hopefully it can only get better.

As far as the genre is cocerned i think it must either be limiting, or the authors are rushed, because if you read black flame publications by te same authors, you will find the books are much more readable and enjoyable, and not only open to fans of the games.