Warmachine fiction

[Ironbullet]

Would love to read some Warmachine novels. Hope this happens soon.

[scadugenga]

At some point it will happen.

The problem with publishing these days is that bookstores are an endangered species. Books are expensive, and with the economy right now there are fewer people with the spare cash to spend on books.

That, and finding quality writers to actually put forth salable product.

Say what you want about BL--they are good. But back in the day, FASA was where it was at with fiction based off of their IP games systems. (40+ Shadowrun novels, and I-have-no-clue how many Battletech books.)

As with BL, the quality of writing was diverse, but you had some quality names there. (Michael Stackpole, for instance--the Dan Abnett of FASA IP. ) Who, like Abnett went on to publish mainstream sci-fi/fantasy--to a bit better success.

(As an aside--while I think Abnett is the best of the BL authors, getting through his non-GW related novel Triummph was a major PITA. Story didn't finally "get good" for me until just about the end.)

[Shadow Walker]

I would love to see some WM/H novels. I remember how much I liked short stories from rulebooks and faction books [especially from Hordes]

[Face Stabbity]

I wish they'd put some focus on getting a book or two published. The short stories are nice, but by their nature they're limited to what they can do.

The most difficult thing for them would be to give equal treatment of all races. Unlike 40k, where it's Space Marines vs. the universe, WM/H races all have interesting stories to tell, and all are intertwined. So you can't just publish Khador and Cryx, because you'll be ignoring a big part of your fanbase.

Another problem is that if they want to tell meaningful stories, something important to the IK universe needs to happen. They can't just publish 8 books that all happen in a vacuum, and nothing that happens actually affects the universe. I know some people would be happy for any book, but I imagine there are a lot of people like me who don't want to spend time reading these books if, in the end, nothing in the universe is affected by it, and we've just wasted hours reading a self-contained story about our favorite races.

I think of things like the Warcraft novels. Every story I've read has either given a deeper look into historical events, or Blizzard worked closely with the author to allow the story to contain events that actually impacted the lore of the game. I'd LOVE to see something like that happen with PP.

[Lexington]

I wish they'd put some focus on getting a book or two published. The short stories are nice, but by their nature they're limited to what they can do.

I don't think it's an issue of focus so much as timing and other factors. They've publicly mentioned novels being in the works, but PPS is close to cursed when it comes to licensed products. Comic books, novels, resin statues...they've all been arranged and contracted, then scrapped for one reason or another. Even the video game seems to be stuck in limbo now, which is damn near heartbreaking.

[ara989]

I'd greatly enjoy some novels, I've had trouble finding background fluff on the nets, and I haven't really wanted to throw money down on army books just yet as I'm still starting out.

[Deadlift]

Well thanks for the reply guys, I must admit I am a little disappointed but thats just me when I get a new obsession. I like to grab as much info as I can on everything straight away
Anyway I have the mk 2 book on order and I am going to get a copy of the latest "No quarter". Will look at the Khador army book too but as I understand it the army books are not essential to play at 1st ? but good resource for background.

[Gunnbjorn]

Another problem is that if they want to tell meaningful stories, something important to the IK universe needs to happen. They can't just publish 8 books that all happen in a vacuum, and nothing that happens actually affects the universe.

I think you're dead on, there, and that's why I rather prefer that PP isn't publishing novels. I've never been interested in the Black Library (or indeed, most of the 40k fluff) because too often they feel like side stories rather than supportive of a cohesive ongoing tale. That's probably an unfair assessment, but likely also an unavoidable truth given the vast setting (and frequent forays into millennia past).

PP is focused on developing their present timeline in a way that significantly impacts each faction; events often have lasting changes on warcasters and warlocks or even army composition, reflected in new rules as well. Novels in between expansions wouldn't be able to advance the story or characters the same way, and if they just explored side stories, unrelated characters, or the setting's history, they'd lack the added impact of knowing that what you just read was a subtle preview of a future expansion's epic character or new unit.

So, I mean, they could do it, but it might be tricky to do right and not just cheapen the setting with low-quality fluff.

[Jack-Hammer]

They did say they were planning to release a collected volume of just the fiction from those books, though - this year, I believe?

That would be great, I would definitely get that.

[Gorgar]

I'd love it if PP published the story that's included in the faction books and rule book all in one condensed novel. Not having every faction book makes if frustrating to read part of a story and wonder what happens next.