Gav Thorpe's Blog, page 18
July 13, 2016
Oh You Are A Tease…
In the run up to the release of Angels of Caliban, I wrote five days of teasers for Black Library. If you need more convincing to pick up the novel, you can see the complete set below.
“The Dark Angels have the longest history of all the Space Marine Legions – predating even the Imperium, though not with their current name. Before the discovery of Caliban and the Lion were known, before the Emperor’s warriors left the Sol system, they were known as The First. And even earlier, during the Unification Wars, the Legions had not yet been created and the Emperor’s finest warriors existed as the Six Hosts of the Angels of Death. Known as the Hexagrammaton, the exact organisation of which has been lost, these hosts were renamed after ‘wings’ that existed in Calibanite culture – the Deathwing, Dreadwing, Firewing, Ironwing, Ravenwing and Stormwing. Each has its own strategies and access to unique devastating Terran technologies.”
“Farith Redloss is the Voted-Lieutenant of the Dreadwing. Bearing his hourglass-bladed axe, he is the elected leader of the most destructive, war-hungry warriors of the Legion. When the Dreadwing are summoned, they embody their battle-chant: ‘We have come. We are death.’ Their purpose is simple: utter eradication of all opposition. In his desire to hunt down Konrad Curze, the Lion unleashes the fury of the Dreadwing onto the Ultramarines homeworld of Macragge.”
“It’s no secret that Angels of Caliban sees a rematch between the Lion and the Night Haunter – it’s right there on the amazing Neil Roberts cover! As many will know, this will be the fourth time the two Primarchs have clashed and, depending on which corner of the internet you listen to, either the Lion or Curze are ahead on points or this is the decider. This time we will see just which of them really has the upper hand. I promise.”
“When we last saw Zahariel (in ‘Cypher: Guardian of Order’) the Northwilds arcology was falling on top of him. Yet his fate is far from sealed as he encounters the primal force at the heart of Caliban. With the Edict of Nikaea having curtailed the Librarius of each Legion, the Order of Caliban returns to an older tradition, that of the ancient Mystai. Marked by the Watchers in the Dark and the powers of Chaos, Zahariel’s choices will change the course of history – and what will those choices be when ships return from the Legion with devastating news of his cousin Nemiel’s death…?”
“Much of the action takes place in Imperium Secundus – the bastion of the Five Hundred Worlds kept unified by Roboute Guilliman and the Ultramarines. The arrival of the Lion and Sanguinius has created the perfect trio to lead this second Imperium after the perceived loss of the Emperor – the statesman, the angel and the general. Yet despite their common goals, the past and present combine to widen the divides between those that must be most united. That which cannot be destroyed from without might yet crumble from within, and with it see the end of the last hope to resist Horus. With the fate of the galaxy at stake we discover exactly why Imperium Secundus will become the Unremembered Empire.”
**To make sure you don’t miss out on any blog posts, you can keep up-to-date with everything Gav by signing up to my monthly newsletter. As a bonus, every other month I randomly pick a newsletter subscriber to receive a free signed copy of one of my books.**
Gav on the Road – Leicester & Burton-Upon-Trent
Couldn’t get to my book signings in Oxford or Derby? Don’t worry, you’ve got two more chances to get your books signed as I’ll be at Games Workshop Leicester and Burton-Upon-Trent on 23rd July. Details below.
I’ll be signing copies of Angels of Caliban, and any others of my titles they have in stock, but feel free to bring any of my other books if you want those signed too.
If I’m in the area and have an hour of two free, I’m always happy to have an excuse to visit a GW store. If you’d like me to come to your local store, ask the store manager to get in touch.
**To make sure you don’t miss out on any blog posts, you can keep up-to-date with everything Gav by signing up to my monthly newsletter. As a bonus, every other month I randomly pick a newsletter subscriber to receive a free signed copy of one of my books.**
July 12, 2016
Interview with Eye of Horus Podcast – July 2016
Listen to my interview with the guys at the Eye of Horus podcast, where I impersonate Farith Redloss(!), and we talk in depth about Angels of Caliban, the Horus Heresy, and cryptids!
My interview starts at 1:40:47
**To make sure you don’t miss out on any blog posts, you can keep up-to-date with everything Gav by signing up to my monthly newsletter. As a bonus, every other month I randomly pick a newsletter subscriber to receive a free signed copy of one of my books.**
Want to Read More About the Dark Angels?
What? You’ve finished Angels of Caliban already? Loved it, you say? Why, thank you < flutters fan >. There are many ways to show your further appreciation.
You’d like to read more about the Dark Angels?
Well, you’ll have to wait a bit for more Horus Heresy titles featuring the Lion, though it won’t be too long and they won’t be from me for a while. I’ll be having a word with the editors to see if we can fit in a story around Paladin Corswain though. Not strictly speaking a HH story, but Holder of the Keys may be of interest. And you have read all of the lead-in stories, yes?
But for Dark Angels in 40k, just step this way.
First of all, may I suggest Angels of Darkness. This was my first Dark Angels novel, and features (and introduced) that lovable rogue Astelan. Written before the Horus Heresy series began, Angels of Darkness sets out my stall for the Dark Angels legion and chapter – their secret history, the lies and machinations and, ultimately, the decision they must each face.
If you fancy something a little more straightforward and heroic, The Purging of Kadillus sees the Dark Angels pitted against the orks of Ghazghkull Thraka. Faced with the invasion of a Dark Angels recruiting system, Master Belial must make hard choices to secure the safety of Piscina IV. Also features Veteran Sergeant Naaman, one of the most fun Dark Angels characters to ever write about. Before you start on The Purging of Kadillus you might want to listen to the prelude Accept No Failure, which segues nicely into…
My latest Dark Angels works have been the Legacy of Caliban trilogy. The three books take us on a galaxy-threatening ride with the Dark Angels of the 41st millennium. As the title suggests, the shadows of the Horus Heresy continue to darken the efforts of chapter. In particular with the events of Angels of Caliban now in the public view, certain facets and characters of book three The Unforgiven come into a different light.
There are also a number of short stories you might like to try – you can find out more on the Warhammer 40,000 Dark Angels section of my Reader’s Guide page.
**To make sure you don’t miss out on any blog posts, you can keep up-to-date with everything Gav by signing up to my monthly newsletter. As a bonus, every other month I randomly pick a newsletter subscriber to receive a free signed copy of one of my books.**
July 11, 2016
Interview with Forge The Narrative – July 2016
Listen to my interview with the guys at the Forge The Narrative podcast, where we talk in depth about Angels of Caliban, writing in a multi-author series, and my history with Games Workshop.
My interview starts at 43:03.
**To make sure you don’t miss out on any blog posts, you can keep up-to-date with everything Gav by signing up to my monthly newsletter. As a bonus, every other month I randomly pick a newsletter subscriber to receive a free signed copy of one of my books.**
Deliverance Lost – Now in Hardback!
Black Library have gradually been re-releasing the Horus Heresy books in hardback format, and today Deliverance Lost gets the shiny new treatment. It will be hitting the shelves next Saturday 16th July, but you can order it today over at Black Library, along with the paperback, eBook or mp3 formats.
Hardback: 978-1784964863
“As the Horus Heresy divides the Imperium, Corax and his few remaining Raven Guard escape the massacre at Isstvan V. Tending to their wounds, the bloodied Space Marines endeavour to replenish their numbers and return to the fray, taking the fight to the traitor Warmaster. Distraught at the crippling blow dealt to his Legion, Corax returns to Terra to seek the aid of his father – the Emperor of Mankind. Granted access to ancient secrets, Corax begins to rebuild the Raven Guard, planning his revenge against his treacherous brother primarchs. But not all his remaining warriors are who they appear to be… the mysterious Alpha Legion have infiltrated the survivors and plan to destroy the Raven Guard before they can rebuild and threaten Horus’s plans.”
Still need convincing? Here are some reviews for Deliverance Lost:
“Thorpe at his best. I hope to see him return to the 31st Millennium soon.”
– Bane of Kings, The Founding Fields
“Loved this book from the start. Thorpe ranks as one of the best 40k writers with Dan Abnett and Ben Counter. Read it and you’ll know why.”
– Kamal Sawyer, Goodreads
“Gav Thorpe has done the series proud. Main characters’ backgrounds are well developed. The maze is brutal and very deadly even for the Legioness Astartes. Conflict and betrayal are everywhere. It all adds up to make this story one exhilarating ride.”
– Detra Fitch, Huntress Reviews
You can find out everything you need to know about Deliverance Lost in the books section of my website (click here to jump straight to it).
**To make sure you don’t miss out on any blog posts, you can keep up-to-date with everything Gav by signing up to my monthly newsletter. As a bonus, every other month I randomly pick a newsletter subscriber to receive a free signed copy of one of my books.**
July 10, 2016
Competition Time – The Beast Must…
Back in February I ran a competition to win a signed copy of The Emperor Expects, book three in The Beast Arises series. The entries for that competition, telling me what #theemperorexpects were so brilliant, I thought I’d do the same for The Beast Must Die, my second contribution to the series (out yesterday).
All you need to do is use #thebeastmust in a Tweet or comment on the competition post on Facebook, telling me what #thebeastmust. I’ll publish the best ones on my blog, and pick a winner to receive a signed copy of the book. You can enter as many times as you want. Here are some examples to give you an idea:
#thebeastmust eat all his greens if he wants to be a big strong boy
#thebeastmust remember to say please and thank you
#thebeastmust really, *really* have some things he wants to get off his chest
I’ll contact the lucky winner on Friday, before the hardback hits the shelves on Saturday.
You can read all the entries for #theemperorexpects competition in this blog post – the winning entry was:
@DennisHamster #theEmperorExpects at least 1 Valentines day card that isnt from his mum
— Vidpui (@vidpui) February 4, 2016
**To make sure you don’t miss out on any blog posts, you can keep up-to-date with everything Gav by signing up to my monthly newsletter. As a bonus, every other month I randomly pick a newsletter subscriber to receive a free signed copy of one of my books.**
July 9, 2016
The Beast Must Die – Order Now!
My second contribution to The Beast Arises series, The Beast Must Die, is available to pre-order today, with hardbacks hitting the shelves next Saturday 16th July. The first 500 orders of the book will also receive a free limited edition bookmark.
Hardback: 978-1784961992
eBook: 978-1785721380
MP3: 978-1785721397
As I did for the release of The Emperor Expects, I’ll be running a competition this week to win a personalised, signed copy of The Beast Must Die, so keep an eye on my blog, Facebook, and Twitter accounts tomorrow for more information.
“The Imperium has been brought to the edge of extinction by an ork invasion of unprecedented scale and depth. Piecemeal strikes against the invaders prove ineffective – for every ork fleet destroyed, five more appear. The only solution is to find and kill the orks’ warlord – the Great Beast. Surely if its leader is killed, the greenskins’ empire will fall apart in agony of infighting and confusion. Lord Commander Koorland assembles a mighty army, but when they arrives on the orks home world, the forces of the Imperium discover they have disastrously underestimated the might and ingenuity of their enemy.”
Praise for The Emperor Expects (Book Three in The Beast Arises Series)
“The characters are a strong part of this book. They are truly… – human. Yes, that’s exactly it – Gav has created a believable characters who are truly alive on each page.” 5 out of 5 Stars
– Andrey Nalyotov, Goodreads
“Stayed up late to finish #TheEmperorExpects. Bloody hell. I did not expect that ending. Just brilliant. Well done @DennisHamster.”
– Ryan @MajorRawne, Twitter
“I read this book in one sitting, not being able to put it down. Such a great book and left me wanting more.”
– Daniel, Goodreads
“Gav Thorpe’s crafted absolutely gripping and nail-biting, tension filled moments on the bridges of the Navy vessels, it feels as if you are along for the ride, nothing forced, no unnecessary words or conversations among the characters.” 5 out of 5 Stars
– Anonymous, Amazon
July 8, 2016
Angels of Caliban Q&A
As promised, here’s a compilation of questions that have been emailed and messaged to me recently about Angels of Caliban.
Don’t worry if you still have a question, you can always get in touch through the contact page and I’ll include it in one of my monthly Q&As (and newsletter subscribers can just reply to any of my emails).
Arthur asked by email: First of all – thank you for very good job at writing Warhammer 40000 and Horus Heresy novels. I would like to ask you one particular thing about Angels of Caliban. Can you please say, will this book be the last or one of the last books about Lion El’Jonson in the Heresy Era? I mean it’s getting close to the Battle of Terra and after the Lion has done chasing Curze, it possibly may be already last days of the Horus Heresy.
This certainly won’t be the last of the Lion – though Imperium Secundus is crumbling we have at least one more book before it ends and then I am sure there will be more titles following his exploits.
(Also it’s worth noting that the Lion will feature in the new Primarchs series – I’ll not be writing his volume but it’s likely to be related to events in the Horus Heresy.
Lee also reached out via the contact page: I’m not too far in but I was surprised that Mortarion knew of Typhon’s abilities. Previously I was under the impression that he had hidden his psychic abilities from his Primarch. Is this a new idea in the storyline?
I took my cue from the Forge World material – “The First Captain of the Death Guard Legion once pursued the role of Epistolary in the Legion’s Librarius, but with the Primarch Mortarion harbouring a deep-rooted distrust of those who wield the powers of the psyker, Typhon suppressed his gift and strove instead to serve as a war leader.” It would be almost impossible for any psyker to hide their abilities from the Librarius testing even before Nikaea was enacted.
Steven Baeber emailed: Hi Mr Thorpe. Thanks for putting so much of your writing time into the first legion. I just finished Angels of Caliban. I was wondering if you think that both the Dark and Blood Angels are recruiting at this time in the Ultramar system? It would seem prudent to me that they continue trying to replenish their numbers from peoples in the Ultramar system. Or would legion beliefs and / or Guilliman calling dibs dissuade them?
That’s a really interesting question. The reality is that Imperium Secundus has not existed long enough for any recruitment outside the Ultramarines to yet take place. I would expect that in the medium term particular planets from the Five Hundred Worlds would have been assigned as recruiting and arming systems for the Dark Angels and Blood Angels. More intriguing perhaps would be the fate of the Legion ragtags like the Imperial Fists and White Scars that ended up on Macragge. Or did Guilliman envisage a post-Legion recruitment and command system as was enacted at the Second Founding…? With the Primarchs assuming far higher roles, in the new scheme, a Chapter system might have been the best way forward.
RedFuriso asked on email: Hi Gav, thanks for great book! Will you (or Mr Bligh) give us more info about Griffayn and cause of his demotion? It’s so intriguing!
The truth is that Griffayn is just one of those characters that sort of inserts themself into the story without much invitation. Laurie Goulding (Horus Heresy editor) suggested that a significant member of one of the wings should be present on Caliban. My inclination is that Griffayn’s authority in the Firewing is temporarily suspended for that very fact – being away from the bulk of the Legion for an indeterminate length of time means his successor would have to take the position in his absence. The reality is that any Firewing brothers would still look to him for leadership (though it is debatable how prominent the wings are on Caliban as the Order reasserts its organisation and the recruits are shielded from the old brotherhoods).
Also on the email I received this from Luca Angeli: I’m toying with the idea of writing my 30k Dark Angels army’s fluff from the point of view of one or more remembrancers. They were variously received by the Legions, but I don’t remember them in any official book or story involving the First. I’d like to ask you how do you think the Angels related to remembrancers during the Great Crusade. Sure, they are secretive and insular in nature, and would lie or ignore them for the most part. In 30k, though, I could see something along the lines of chivalric romance writers be a thing that some in the Legion, especially Calibanites may… appreciate, or at least tolerate. I’d like to hear your opinion on this.
As you’ll see at the opening of Angels of Caliban, I’ve included a Remembrancer’s quote on the frontis so they definitely travelled with the First. To answer this we have to break down the history of the Legion a little.
In the earliest years as the Six Hosts, there would not have been Remembrancers attached, but following reorganisation into the Terran Dark Angels they would have been embedded the same as other Legions. As we saw from the Warrior Lodges in the Sons of Horus elsewhere, it is quite possible to continue operating inner brotherhoods and yet present the ‘official’ Legion outlook to the rest of the Imperium.
The real issue comes with the incorporation of Caliban and the arrival of the Lion. On the one hand he is not a public individual, but on the other he was raised in a culture of heroic chronicles and would certainly like his victories and legacy recorded for posterity. During the Great Crusade the veneer of openness would continue but at the outbreak of the Heresy I imagine the Dark Angels shed their Remembrancers pretty sharply as they started reverting to their Six Hosts nature and deploying more ancient, secret technologies.
Similarly, on Caliban outsiders were gradually culled. Bearing in mind Luther was sent back several decades before Isstvan, ‘natural wastage’ would see most Remembrancers leave, die or returned to Terra, or replaced by Calibanites loyal to Luther. By the time of Angels of Caliban, the Remembrancers are all gone, spies and lackeys of the Emperor every one of them!
**To make sure you don’t miss out on any blog posts, you can keep up-to-date with everything Gav by signing up to my monthly newsletter. As a bonus, every other month I randomly pick a newsletter subscriber to receive a free signed copy of one of my books.**
July 7, 2016
And The Verdict Is…
If you’re one of my newsletter subscribers, you’ll know how important Angels of Caliban is for me, but if you haven’t read my May newsletter, suffice it to say that there is some pressure for it to be a success.
So I am absolutely thrilled at how well received it has been. It’s early days, but I have received numerous messages from people saying they’ve really enjoyed it, and so far it has received ten 5-star ratings on Goodreads. Here are a couple of reviews:
“Gav Thorpe returns to full length Heresy Dark Angels with aplomb; as comfortable in the heart of Imperium Secundus as he is on the dark soil of Caliban. He crafts a story that is at once a war story, a revenge tale, a stirring drive towards independence, a political potboiler and a 31st millennium Game of Thrones, at times.” 5/5 stars
– Marc Collins, Goodreads
“That is what it comes down to: Angels of Caliban managed to pull together many disparate strings of story and weave them into an exciting and layered book that offered a lot of insight into the big players involved, while introducing new characters with potential. It solved some problems while creating numerous others for the Legion, and hammers home the sense of tragedy and misunderstandings that is so central to the Dark Angels. It shows that the road to hell is paved with good intentions – I loved it.” 5/5 stars
– DarkChaplain, Goodreads
Thank you to everyone who has already rated or reviewed Angels of Caliban. As I explain in my ‘How To Love Your Author‘ blog post, reviewing and sharing the books you like is important to writers, and is hugely appreciated.
**To make sure you don’t miss out on any blog posts, you can keep up-to-date with everything Gav by signing up to my monthly newsletter. As a bonus, every other month I randomly pick a newsletter subscriber to receive a free signed copy of one of my books.**
