Here comes an interesting release from Black Library. Horus Heresy: The Scripts 1. With this book, Black Library will release the scripts of fan-favourite audio-books from the Horus Heresy, including ‘The Dark King’, ‘The Lightning Tower’, ‘Raven’s Flight’, ‘Garro: Oath of Moment’, ‘Garro: Legion of One’ and ‘Butcher’s Nails’. Are you interested in reading audio-drama scriptbooks?
Black Library and the Horus Heresy
Black Library’s phenomenally successful Horus Heresy series has turned the Warhammer 40K setting upside down. A growing number of 40K fans these days delve into the epic battles of “Warhammer 30K” as much, if not more so, than they sink their teeth into the game’s background on the 41st Millennium. Forge Worlds recent – and massive – foray into the Horus Heresy is surely one result of this.
I love reading Black Library stories for a diversion. The book reviews I’ve written on this blog can attest to that. Strangely enough, I haven’t read all that much from the Horus Heresy line. I did read the opening trilogy of Horus Rising, Galaxy in Flames and False Gods, when it was originally released. After that, I dropped out for a variety of reasons. I haven’t been back to the series, largely because it’s such a daunting colossus by now.
Increasingly, it is not just books that make up the Horus Heresy series. Not too long ago, Black Library announced Horus Heresy Graphic Novels, to be released next year. Already out there are audio dramas such as ‘Garro: Legion of One‘ or the recent ‘Butcher’s Nails‘, which was released in time with Forge World’s release of Angron the Red Angel.
Horus Heresy: The Scripts I
As I’ve never progressed in the Horus Heresy novel series beyond the opening trilogy, I never picked up a Horus Heresy audio drama. I am not sure I would’ve done so if I had read more from the Horus Heresy novels. I may not really be an “audio drama person” (though my better half devours audio adaptations of books like the Hunger Games at frightening speed).
Black Library’s latest thus sounds interesting. Both for a chance to pick up on the stories I “missed” and for the idea of taking a peek behind the scenes of audio drama production, Horus Heresy or not.
Take a look at the release teaser.
Here is the official description from Black Library on this book.
Within these pages you will find the complete production scripts for the first six Horus Heresy audio dramas – ‘The Dark King’, ‘The Lightning Tower’, ‘Raven’s Flight’, ‘Garro: Oath of Moment’, ‘Garro: Legion of One’ and ‘Butcher’s Nails’. With full soundtrack direction, character notes, and an exclusive introduction from editor Christian Dunn, take a look behind the scenes of Black Library’s most popular series..
December 2012 • 320 pages, hardback with dust jacket. • ISBN 9781849704908
Edited by Christian Dunn
It is clearly not a novelization of the audio dramas, just as the audio dramas weren’t reproductions of existing Horus Heresy novels. The inclusion of all the production details – soundtrack direction, character notes, etc.. – may not make this an ideal way to explore the stories themselves. On the other hand, it might give interesting insights into the production of the audio dramas.
Either way, I am not yet fully sure what to make of this. It sounds like an interesting product in many ways, but not really like a product made to “just enjoy the stories”. And – of course - £20.00 isn’t something to sneeze at either
Funny enough, I wouldn’t have thought that the scripts where quite so short. Six of them in one 320 page book.
What do you think? Are you interested? Did you pick up some of the Horus Heresy audio dramas? Would you be tempted to buy this one?
Leave a comment!
Z.