Ask... ROB SANDERS

[Rob Sanders]

It cannot be denied Graeme... it be true!

[Rob Sanders]

Want to Play?: Know Your Tyranids! Check it out at http://rob-sanders.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/want-to-play-know-your-tyranids.html

[Maestitia]

Hi Rob!
I hope you'r fine.
I saw you have answered some questions on your blog and it was nice but what about mine?
I think my question is a good one.
If you don't want to answer, can you tell just a "No, I'll not answer to that".

Cause I'm waiting your answer for my french review, so it'll be nice if you can respond yes or no at least.

Thanks to read me

Hi there Rob,
I wanted to ask you a question or two about your novel "Legion of the Damned."
I do critiques of novels "W40k" on the French site "The Reclusiam" (I've talked a bit on your blog).

I've already written my review as I finished your novel some time ago and I want to tell you that I found it excellent.
This is the most original of all the series "Space Marine Battle". You write more with the SF feeling than other writers of Black Library and this is what I loved : grim and hard.

Nevertheless, there is something that shocked me deeply.
Why spoil the end of the novel with the cover and the title?

Let me explain: I know that the authors do not write the synopsis but do you decide the title at least?
I mean, the "punch" ending is totally ruined by sublime Art of Jon Sullivan and the title.

I'd like to really know your point of view about it.
Thank you for your future answers.

[Rob Sanders]

http://rob-sanders.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/answer-me-this.html

Spending a little more time on answering 'Ask the Author' questions. Today's question is an interesting one from Maestitia.


"Hi there Rob,

I wanted to ask you a question or two about your novel "Legion of the Damned."
I do critiques of novels "W40k" on the French site "The Reclusiam" (I've talked a bit on your blog).

I've already written my review as I finished your novel some time ago and I want to tell you that I found it excellent.
This is the most original of all the series "Space Marine Battle". You write more with the SF feeling than other writers of Black Library and this is what I loved : grim and hard.

Nevertheless, there is something that shocked me deeply.
Why spoil the end of the novel with the cover and the title?

Let me explain: I know that the authors do not write the synopsis but do you decide the title at least?
I mean, the "punch" ending is totally ruined by sublime Art of Jon Sullivan and the title.

I'd like to really know your point of view about it.
Thank you for your future answers.
Maestitia"



Hi Maestitia,

Sorry, I’ve been a little behind with the answers to some of my Ask the Author questions. It’s great that you liked the Legion of the Damned. I look forward to your review on ‘The Reclusium’. On to the answer to your question. Let me break it down into several parts.

“I know that authors do not write the synopsis”. This is a common assumption about authors working for publishing companies that showcase shared universes. It is true that there are people at Games Workshop who have been responsible for colossal amounts of fantastic background and IP: they can justifiably be regarded as ‘loremasters’. The great editors at Black Library are also walking encyclopaedias of Warhammer, Warhammer 40k and Horus Heresy knowledge. These experts obviously have significant influence over specific details with individual projects and the direction of the different Warhammer series. Black Library author, however, are responsible for writing the synopses of their respective novels and short fiction. It is true, however, that authors do not necessarily write the blurbs on the back of their books.

“do you decide the title”. Quite often, authors submit a numbers of titles. ‘Legion of the Damned’ was one of the titles of submitted. It’s a cool title and the aforementioned ‘Legion’ is identified in the blurb. This does raise an interesting point in respect to the title of the novel. Anyone reading the blurb of the novel knows that the story concentrates on the Excoriator Space Marine Chapter. The Legion of the Damned is a mysterious phenomenon and the title of the novel might suggest that that the novel focuses exclusively on the Legion. Fair point. The problem with doing that is that you will ruin the background for many readers and gamers. A good author will take their readers part of the way and then allow them their own interpretations. Does the Legion of the Damned feature prominently in the novel? Yes. Are the Legion of the Damned present all the way through the novel? Yes. Does the representation of the Legion of the Damned conform to the background – Space Marines against impossible odds benefitting from the supernatural intervention of the Legion of the Damned? Yes – it even states so in the blurb. It’s funny – no-one thinks it is strange that the titular ‘Lord of the Rings’ doesn’t feature in every sentence on every page of every book in the series.

“punch ending” Thanks, Maestitia - it is a punch ending and intended as so. It is more than the involvement of the Legion of the Damned that make it a “punch ending”. After all, the Legion’s intervention is identified in the blurb. At the end of the day, readers do like to know the direction the writer is going. We can’t call all of our novels ‘Unspecified Space Marine Project’!

Great questions, Maestitia. Hope the answers helped you out!

[Maestitia]

Thanks a lot Rob!
I like your answers, that make sens.

But when you take your novel in the hand, read the title et watch the cover, 80% of people will believe that's all the novel is with the Legion of The Damned, and when they'll realise it isn't, they'll quickly understand "Ok yes, the Legion of The Damned will rescue the Excoriators"., It's just this point, I find it unfortunate.

Thanks for your answer once again!!!

[Rob Sanders]

The Black Library Weekender and the return of the Caption Competition! Check out more at
http://rob-sanders.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/black-library-weekender.html

[Rob Sanders]

What a fantastic event!
Check out http://rob-sanders.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/black-library-weekender-aftermath.html

[Rob Sanders]

In choppy waters...

Check out more at http://rob-sanders.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/the-choppy-waters-of-crafting-titles.html

[Rob Sanders]

Sketching the Scourge...

Check out more at http://rob-sanders.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/sketching-scourge.html

[logoki]

One question about the information in HH: The Primarchs.

Spoiler: Omegon and his third armour plain an unadornerd to the casual eye, in your novella The Serpent Beneath.

Some fans say that the third armour is = Garro's group.

In Feat of Iron by Mr. Nick Kyme Alpharius anf Omegon are represented with a statue of the God Janus, and the First Grandmaster of the Grey Knights was Janus

Too the Primarch Project stolen from Corax in the novel Deliverance Lost could be the answers to the faster creation of the Grey Knights Chapter

The question was for mr Swallow because he developes the story of Garro and his group with unadorned armours, but he said me to question you, sir.

Could you say something about that, or Mr Sanders: "I can't say"

The Legion of Damned and Iron wITHIN are very nice: some possibility taht we coul see again Barabas Dantioch?

[flick]

Hey Rob, I started a thread about Perturabo a while back, viewtopic.php?f=14&t=1809

One of the interesting points is his relationship with Angron.I hesitate to use the word 'friendship' with Angron, but they do seem to have a connection. Now that's fascinating, because outwardly they have totally different out-looks on warfare and philosophy. And I was wondering what your take on the fraternal relationship would be?

Here's some of the theories..

Or perhaps Angron was found later and Perturabo was given the job of "minding" him (he seems to get all the jobs no-one else wants).

There are other things to take into consideration too. Angron doesn't seem to have much time for people too different to him, but he probably wouldn't appreciate anyone too similar to him either (they'd be competition). Perturabo might exist in the right "space" for Angron to get along with.

Or perhaps first impressions have something to do with it. Maybe Angron greeted all his brother Primarchs the first time he met them by attacking them to gauge their capabilities. Fulgrim or Sanguinius would probably be appalled - he wouldn't like that. Russ would probably hit him back harder - he wouldn't like that either. Lorgar would go down first punch, forfeiting any kind of respect. Maybe Perturabo withstood such a beating in a way that appealed to him. I can see Perturabo operating in the same sort of capacity as Kharn - someone who's earned enough respect from Angron for him to listen to, except that unlike Kharn he's Angron's equal, not his follower.

Somebody mentioned the Iron Warriors' penchant for slaughter once they'd finally broken a citadel and stormed inside. I think that has something to do with it: Angron and Perturabo probably share similar ideas about total warfare and what to do with their enemies. And the tactics of their Legions complement each other well, so any shared fighting they've done is likely to have been relatively congenial.

Fascinating stuff, I like the fact that Perty and Angron forged a bond through their belief in utterly wiping out the enemy. Also, their favoured methods of combat are pretty much the noisiest, more violent, and stressful out-there. Even marines can get brutalised, if they're in the meat-grinder long enough.

Bumpage... Apologies if you have already answered this. And one last thing, what did you think of McNeils portrayal of Perturabo?

[Rob Sanders]

Hi Flick

Bump away! Yeah, I really like thinking about Primarch combinations. It's kind of like playing Top Trumps Primarchs. : ) As an author, sometimes I get to play out these encounters - so thinking about them in some depth is required. That said, I try to remind myself that the 30k universe is broad and wide and not restricted to the interests of twenty significant characters. They have a large part to play but I think the starting point of a Horus Heresy novel, novella or short story should be more than just getting two Primarchs in close proximity and watching them smash the hell out of each other.

As for Perturabo and Angron - I think you've got some great ideas there. I like the who searching for similarities thing going on in two chracters that even their brothers find pretty unlikable. I might be tempted to go with the angle that they're so filled with uncompromising rage / bitterness respectively that they don't need the kind of comfort that might be offered by fraternity and friendship. Their darkness is an end unto itself. Mmmm. Might use that line. : D

[Rob Sanders]

La Légion des Damnés...

Check out more at http://rob-sanders.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/la-legion-des-damnes.html

[Maestitia]

Thanks a lot Rob for all your support!
Cheers.

[flick]

Thanks for the reply Mr Sanders. You raise an interesting point about the near-obsession some fans have for the Primarchs. The 30k universe is a truly massive place, but for me it's the chicken and the egg regarding the spotlight in the Primarch's..Any little detail is fascinating because for all the 90's and a few years beyond we truly only had scraps of into on them, suddenly we an 'Drink-all you-can-slurp-bar'!

[Major Rawne]

Rob I have just reminded myself that there was a couple of questions that I had about Legion of the Damned that I forgot to ask you at BLW. The Scourge, is this a new and unique title for the character? Or is it a title of great shame used on rare occasions in the chapter?

And what did The Scourge do that meant he was so alone was so hated? It seemed to me that, whilst yes he obviously made some huge mistake, he can't surely have been alone in that? Could he?

I will finish saying that your short in the second of BLW Anthologies was rather enjoyable, and I enjoyed the little twist in the darkness.

[Rob Sanders]

Czevak To The Dark Tower Came... Story and game. Check it out on the blog today. Oh, and Merry Christmas to you all!

http://rob-sanders.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/czevak-to-dark-tower-came.html

[Gaius Marius]

After re-reading Legion of the damned, I think its safe to say we need more Scourge.

[Liliedhe]

Definitely. More Kersh and Ezrachi, comedy duo Their interactions were always awesome.

[Gaius Marius]

Also, I'm rereading atlas infernal after rereading Legion of the Damned and am just noticing all of the references to LotD before LotD was written! Like Umbragg of the Brazen Flesh and the Range Peluciad.