The Black Library

[Samantha Bentley]

"The road to hell is paved with good intentions" and "illumination equals ignorance" come to mind.  

[Lady Blodwynn]

For those interested, Black Library is handing out a free novel in ebook format every Friday as a showcase of their new BL Digital services. While slightly overpriced it will soon be possible to get their novels and audiobooks for digital devices.

Currently up for free download are the Gaunt's Ghosts novel First and Only and the Ultramarines novel Nightbringer, by Dan Abnett and Graham McNeill respectively.

You can download them here: http://www.blacklibrary.com/Digital  

[Sir Kyle Aziz]

Drat, I can't pick which ones will be free? ):  

[Sissy Fairy]

Next book will most likely be Sword of Justice by Christ Wraight. I know the book was first released earlier this year. Sword of Justice alongside Nightbringer and First and Only were both featured on a disc Black Library handed out at the UK Games Day as a promo for the Digital Service. Now what the forth book will be lord only knows, those three mentioned above were the only books released on the disk, along with the first issue of Hammer and Bolter.  

[Lady Blodwynn]

How is Hammer and Bolter? surprised

edit.

Wait, Sword of Justice hasn't been out that long now has it? Why are they throwing out a brand new novel?  

[Sissy Fairy]

Its a good magazine, I'm definitely getting the next issue. Its well worth buying it, especially for what you get. Theres a preview chapter of Prospero Burns, and you get the first two chapters of Phalanx, most likely the last Soul Drinker book. It has got some cool surprises in store, especially for the Soul Drinkers, but i'm not going to spoil it.

As for the new book being thrown into the mix, I have no idea. Maybe they wanted to mix old with new into the promo. From what I've heard Sword of Justice is a good book, so that rules out lack of sales in printed form. Well maybe they'll give a good reason out, who knows. But yeah Sword of Justice was released back in July so it could just be down to the author wanting to give something to the fans.

On a completely unrelated topic, although still relevant to Black Library digital, I cannot believe the prices for the Abridged Audio. Horus Rising and False Gods are going to be £20 each on release.  

[Hoxtalicious]

BL needs to adjust the prices of their ebooks a wee bit. That goes double for their audio books, especially the unabridged ones. I understand that it's a lot of words, but still, for that price I can get two full books and a pencil.

Re: Sword of Justice. A great book, but sadly ends on a "to be continued" which will thankfully be concluded February 2011 with Sword of Vengeance.  

[Lady Blodwynn]

I'm already looking forward to this Friday. biggrin

I've been reading through Nightbringer so far and despite its age it is pretty good.  

[Sissy Fairy]

I haven't gotten around to reading any of the free books on the disc I recieved. I've read Hammer and Bolter but i've been focussing on both Firedrake and The First Heretic, both excellent novels and Firedrake opens up for the final battle perfectly.

Brookman, you are right about the prices for the ebooks, and everything else in the digital range. Most of the books released, especially the limited edition book was expensive. £5 for 30 pages compared to £3 for the Battle for Island of Blood which was about 200 pages. Swap the prices around and you'll make it fair.  

[Lady Blodwynn]

Their collector editions are shameless cash ins! While the books look nice, complete with special art and signed by the author himself, they are simply too expensive. Their print on demand services on the other hand are great so far. The Gothic War is more than worth the money paid for, I just wish we had more of that sort of fiction around. We need more space battles!  

[Sissy Fairy]

I was hoping to get Daenyathos but never got a chance, it sold out too quickly gonk but I'm going to order The Book of Blood as that has interested me. I am also going to order The Bloody Hand when its released.  

[Lady Blodwynn]

The Bloody Handed looks like an essential for fans of the Sundering series. It would be a crime if BL were to keep it just as a collectors edition and not sell it as a regular paperback later onwards.  

[Sissy Fairy]

Looking at the cover, it looks more like a Eldar book than Fantasy Elves. It has the edgy styles of the Eldar and the looks of the icons next to the hand.

You are right though, I'd like to see the Collectors Edition available in digital form. They could make a shed load of money with them.  

[Lady Blodwynn]

The Bloody Handed is supposedly about the cult that Morathi belonged to before she was rescued by Aenarion, being something of a prequel to Malekith.  

[Sissy Fairy]

Ah fair enough then, there hasn't been anything regarding information released over here, Games Workshop likes to keep it wrapped up tightly until a month before release, although I can understand why, makes the surprise better.