Warhammer Adventures

[DarkChaplain]

Well. It's a thing now. Games Workshop is following a trend that Disney's been pulling off with its Star Wars products in recent years: Franchise for Kids. The books are apparently aimed at 8-12 year olds primarily.

 

 

Warhammer Adventures is a series of action-packed stories about brave heroes battling monstrous enemies and winning great victories against impossible odds in the far future universe of Warhammer 40,000 and the fantasy realms of Warhammer Age of Sigmar.

Warhammer Adventures stories are perfect for bookworms aged 8-12 who want to read about heroes, aliens and monsters. They’ll be in shops and online later in 2019 – so keep your eyes open for them!

 

https://warhammeradventures.com/

 

Warhammer Community also did a big announcement over here:

https://www.warhammer-community.com/2018/05/21/21st-may-warhammer-adventures-tales-for-younger-readersgw-homepage-post-1/

 

 

One of the authors spearheading the endeavour is Cavan Scott, who wrote a few Black Library stories in the past, but recently has been successful with Star Wars: Adventures in Wild Space, a children's book series that, from what I read of it, appears to be the exact same thing as this will be, in another franchise.

 

 

Cavan: “I’m delighted to be bringing the adventure, excitement and thrills of life in the 41st Millennium to a new generation. There are going to be space battles and monsters, fearsome aliens and dangerous villains. But there will also be friendship and bravery in the form of our three lead characters; ganger Talen, Martian Mekki and explorer Zelia. They already know that life in the Imperium is tough, but they never expected that it would be this challenging, that they would find themselves lost and alone. As their quest begins, they will have to quickly learn who they can trust and what risks are worth taking. Above all, they will learn that need each other to survive.”

 

There's one series for 40k and another for AoS, and the character descriptions and artwork for both are already up on the website. I'd suggest reading through them before giving your opinions on the project, to be honest, as they indicate a lot of what these books will likely be going for.

 

If I may be cheeky here for a second: They already took the "Grim" out of our "Grim Darkness" in the blurb:

"In the [...?] darkness of the far future the warriors of mankind struggle to hold back the alien hordes invading the galaxy"

 

 

Life in the 41st Millennium is hard. Ruled by the Emperor of Mankind from his Golden Throne on Terra, humans have spread across the galaxy, inhabiting millions of planets. They have achieved so much, from space travel to robotics, and yet billions live in fear. The universe seems a dangerous place, teeming with alien horrors and dark powers. But it is also a place bristling with adventure and wonder, where battles are won and heroes are forged.

 

Either way, we're barred from talking about the AoS book(s) because of board rules, so best keep it to the 40k stuff yadda yadda. Happy discussing. Knock yourselves out.

[DukeLeto69]

There is a BIG thread raging in the news forum about this. Go join as some interesting viewpoints.

 

http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/347505-warhammer-adventures-childrens-books/

 

Edited to add link

[Perry]

Gateway book for smaller kids with a possible chance of a TV/ Web series, sounds like a win win for GW

[ProsperoStands]

My two cents.

 

On one hand, getting the younger generation into the IP will make sure it continues. Good!

 

On the other, I am not a fan of kids and keep this kid friendly stuff out of my grimdark.

[Brother Lunkhead]

It will be interesting (and a little scary) to see how this plays out across the 40K franchise-verse. Still....... if the date was right, this would have made a great April Fool's joke 

[Sete]

Well 40k is slowly turning into a generic sci fi setting.

 

The distopian from darkness that we are used to is slowly going away.

Maybe it's a sign of times.

The franchise needs to move forward.

 

Maybe Guilliman introduction to 40k through gathering storm was the first step in the road to mainstream.

 

Space Marines now can be easily created, low gene seed rejection, Baal is to be transformed into a paradise world, a beacon of light in the dark side of the Imperium.

 

Guilliman is reforming Imperial Institutions, Inquisition is losing power, and knowledge and technological stagancy are over thanks to Cawl.

 

Now the next step is to remove the 1000 psyker snack the Emperor has (Cawl will sort it out) commissars can no longer execute people, Female Space Marines and Russ and The Lion have an openly gay relationship (incest is cool ask Jon snow and danerys fans)

And 40k is good to go to the masses.

 

But jokes aside, is going a bit generic. The grim darkness is what we (guardians of the flame oh you ADB) like about the setting.

Maybe we are too old to accept new things.

Whatever. My interest in 40k is waning, and only this forum keeps me interested in it.

 

The only thing my kids will read, will be Codex Black Templars 4th edition.

Just need the kids now lol

[cheywood]

Mostly I hope they’re good books. If they’re uninteresting or cookie cutter and kids don’t like them it doesn’t matter how faithful or ‘blasphemous’ they are. I don’t have kids or any interest in actually reading these books, but if anyone does have children and plans to give them a copy it would be interesting to hear their kids’ thoughts when it comes to the quality I think.

 

Other than that the only thing that I would be ever so slightly annoyed by is if famous (and or famously violent) characters start showing up in droves. I think that premise works well for a lot of kids material, but having specific characters show up with less violent and more kid friendly personas seems a stretch in 40k.

 

At this point I mostly expect GW to do a solid job though, and it’s not as though I’ll be the least bit affected either way.

[Sete]

I have seen so many good memes tho.

It's been worth it just for that.

[Indefragable]

After having a think on it, I will say that whenever little Indefragables start showing how my models can "swim" in the toilet and such, and how they improved the paintjob ala that Ecce Homo in Borja, and all the other trials and tribulations of being a Primarch genesire, I don't want my kids getting involved with 40k...

 

...just like I don't want them to touch Game of Thrones or Saving Private Ryan until they are ready. Though I love the setting and the lore, I feel that diluting it is more harmful than the (parental) horrors contained in it.  @m0n0lith  called it "candy cigarettes" ( http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/347505-warhammer-adventures-childrens-books/?p=5087528 ), but I would take it one step further and call it spiking the punch. Alchohol is a mature beverage for a reason, and hiding, diluting, or covering that up in any ways can lead to the dark side. 40k, and all the elements that interest me, is much the same. I would rather my kids* discover that on their own in its undiluted form when the time is right rather than trying to sugar coat things too much. I also don't want my kids encountering War in any way until they are at a place where they can process it and understand it.

 

But that's just my personal opinion and take on the matter when it comes to the "should they?" matter.

 

As for the diversity factor being upped, I am encouraged. 100 million worlds in the Imperium and they all were settled by Brittanic-seeming caucasians? Please. That being said, I don't like the idea of female Space Marines. If the setting of 40k is commentary, than the all-boys club nature of the Astartes is itself a bit of a nuanced commentary.

 

 

*future

[Sete]

Oh god the lies!!! THE LIES!!!!!

They show a Primaris Ultramarine.

And say they are the Emperor's Chainsword wielding champions!!!! Chainsword wielding champions!!!!

And even worse:

Bravest of all are the heroic Ultramarines!

It is really for kids! :P

[helterskelter]

My 6 y/o knows what zombies are (paranorman under supervision) but I'm not going to let her watch the walking dead.

I started this hobby when I was 13 and if I knew when I grew up this is how we'd end up treating others coming into it that are about the same age I wouldn't have bothered.

[Leif Bearclaw]

I just find this kinda weird, and don't get the point. Maybe it's because I started with GW and the hobby when I was 6 or so. Just stumbled across the GW in town, saw the pretty models and kickass pictures and wanted in, a little bit of promotion from the store manager to the parents and that was that. Granted, I was consuming the stuff somewhat superficially for a few years (knights are cool, dragons are cool, heh a goblin took over the magazine for an issue, rather than speculating over the identity of the Green Knight or the quirks of the Ecclesiarchy), was a bit creeped out by some of those short Mordheim comics that went with the initial WD release, but nowhere near enough to drive me away from the IP. So I don't really get the need for this as a 'gateway product' as the regular stuff worked fine for me, so I assume it would work for similarly interested kids these days.

 

I started this hobby when I was 13 and if I knew when I grew up this is how we'd end up treating others coming into it that are about the same age I wouldn't have bothered.

How are 'we' treating them though? A lot of the pushback against this seems to be coming from either concern/confusion at things that seem very 'un40k' being used as a first exposure to the setting (stuff like the weapon hating protagonist, I know Dorden exists in Ghosts but that's a very different kettle of fish imo) and/or that this will start to change the rest of 40k into something different from what it's been. Call it Gatekeeping if you like (never sure why that's meant to be a negative, wanting something you like to stay recognisable as something you like seems a fine approach to me), but it's a legitimate concern (of course some will take it to extremes, doesn't mean every negative reaction is wrong). Chasing a new audience is fine, but if you do it at the expense of the existing audience, said existing audience are allowed to dislike it (or worry about it happening), and don't deserve the level of toxicity I've seen thrown around by the 'pro Adventures' side in various places.

 

I'm not sure the Star Wars analogy holds (other than 'this is what they're aiming for', of course). As far as I'm aware, both Clone Wars and Rebels (the comparison points I've seen brought up) have been pretty well received by the SW fandom at large, arguably more so than the more recent 'proper' films. If GW deliver on the same level as this, almost everyone should be happy, you get a product that's good for the kids, but is also entertaining for the older veterans. But do we have faith they'll deliver a product of that quality?

[helterskelter]

I'm not sure how a children's novel for 40k is legitimately concerning? It's Not like Abby is all of a sudden going to sit little Timmy on his knee and tell him the glories of chaos in song form is it?

It is an introduction for the younger audience into warhammer. Nothing frightening there, iron hands aren't all of a sudden going to be non codex compliant again and flayed ones aren't going to start having a cuddle party like the otters out of finding dory.

Given the fluff advent of 8th there's not a fat lot of influence a children's book is going to have on us adults given all the codex aren't even out yet with the adult fluff in.

 

And as for how We're treating kids? Look at the things people are saying, and tell me that it's not making it sound like these books existing are like someone has done something foul in front of us. That's hardly a welcoming environment on a family friendly board is it?

And comparing it to star wars, owned by Disney, who make things specifically for younger audiences. Where do we start with that and it's comparison to 40k?

GW reaching out to a broader market/providing and intro does not equal company that has been making film and tv for kids for the past 50+ years

[Enosh]

Probably the biggest selling point of 40k is that it isn't like Star Wars, or Marvel etc, the over the top violence is what gets a lot of people (including plenty of kids this is targeting) into 40k in the first place, so I kinda fail to see the point of a Star Wars kid book with the serial numbers filled off and replaced by 40k ones, the product is just going to get lost among other big names when you remove one of it's main selling points

 

give a 12 year old a generic Space Marines battle novel, or something like Dante vs a story about a kid who doesn't like guns solving problems with love and compassion and I'm fairly certain most are going to prefer the Space Marine one, at least i know I would at that age

and the people that do get in because they prefer the love and compassion no guns approach of the WA protagonist are going to be very disappointed once they delve deeper into the setting, so you either change the setting to accommodate the new people or basically hope that they have a change of heart and suddenly get a deep appreciation for over the top violence

[Xisor]

Bloomin' heck, Star Wars has genocide as a torture technique, and I've seen plenty of kids running about in Kylo Ren costumes.

 

If Star Wars has been dumbed down so much that the pre-existing audience can't enjoy it, I'm not entirely clead why I adored "The Last Jedi".

 

My point being: I *get* the concerns people raise, sort of, because I vaguely feel them myself. But it's in the same category of feelings of "I hate that guy" - feeling it doesn't mean I need to express it, nor even that *I am correct* about my own feelings. They're just... some things my body is generating, and heavens to betsy, it's not amazing at self-coherent feelings.

 

----

 

So for Adventures: hooray.

 

Weapon-hating protagonist? I hated potatoes as a kid. When they realise that the hatred isnt necessarily *of weapons* (but perhaps: of villains), then it'll be interesting.

 

Or if they develop it and keep it? Also bloody interesting.

 

Heavens, 40k is a massive galaxy. Hundreds of billions of people on Armageddon and Necromunda alone. I bet at least a half dozen of them hate weapons.

 

----

 

I'm kinda curious to check out the books. If they're compelling wee things - neat! If they take over the entire settings?

 

Well, first on my grudge list is killing off the Warhammer World, so I'll deal with that first, and work my way down.

 

(I have a sneaking suspicion I won't need to.)

[Preliminary Bombardment]

Isn't the "Doesn't like weapons" a bit of a Chekhov's gun? Let's face it she's going to have to end up using one.

 

Also if Lego batman can exist at the same time as Killing Joke we are probably all right.

 

Sufficed to say I'll be getting this. Can't be any worse than some of the cheap :cusse the school makes mine read for homework.

[SpAcEGhOsT095]

If they want to sell books to kids, let them. My main concern going forward is what impact it may have on the core setting. The 'canary in the coal mine' for me is a couple of authors at Black Library.

And don't let J.J. Abrams any where near 40k, it doesn't need a reboot.

[Marshal Rohr]

Isn't the "Doesn't like weapons" a bit of a Chekhov's gun? Let's face it she's going to have to end up using one.

 

Also if Lego batman can exist at the same time as Killing Joke we are probably all right.

 

Sufficed to say I'll be getting this. Can't be any worse than some of the cheap :cusse the school makes mine read for homework.

Exactly. The LEGO comparison is exactly it.

[Roomsky]

A strange move, to be sure. Age of Sigmar is watered down enough already to be palatable for the young`uns, no problem there. 40k is just so vile, atrocities to the core, that I can't see what it offers for children. Once they hit 12 or 13 they're going to want to dig into the really dark stuff anyway, so I feel the whole thing is a bit of a mis-fire.

 

That said, it's utterly hilarious. The cover has a planet exploding in the background. The gruff soldier kid fled from home to avoid being conscripted at 13. The marine is holding a bolter, chainswords are explicitly cited; even the age-old meme of 40k being covered in skulls rears its head on the promo page, there's a skull sitting on some debris. I really hope the poor art direction is just a facade for even more horror inside.

 

Also, Attack of the Necron? Well, thank god it's only the one.

[DarkChaplain]

I honestly wouldn't say AoS is watered down enough when it literally started with Chaos-won-and-all-the-few-remaining-humans-in-the-realm-of-fire-are-cattle-for-cannibals. It resembles a weird action saturday morning show more than 40k does, but there's enough stuff in it that really doesn't make for childfriendly content. I mean, we now got a race of fish-elves that are stillborn because they don't have souls and have no eyes in later generations and thus have to steal souls from other living folks to bind them to their offspring........

 

It just feels so incongruous with the lore to have children aged 11-14 who go around in full druid gear being masterhealers and animal whisperers, building airships, augmenting themselves to a degree where most tech adepts take a few decades of study to get to, nevermind creating their own version of Necron scarabs or the like (wonder if they got machine spirits too or just break the No-AI rule), or digging up xenos artefacts with their parents, or flee from conscription just to join a gang in the underhive...

[Irbis]

Games Workshop is following a trend that Disney's been pulling off with its Star Wars products in recent years: Franchise for Kids.

 

Disney? Please, Star Wars books for kids were a thing since early 90s. Star Trek was doing it since 80s. Other franchises were even earlier. Disney has literally nothing to do with this.

 

The distopian from darkness that we are used to is slowly going away.

You mean grimdumb, especially for the sake of grimdumb, eh? That is indeed going away, and good riddance to that stupidity. Grimdark is perfectly fine, thank you, and is far more effective when you have some light to cast deeper shadows. When everything is all gak all the time you not only stop caring, you start to wonder how these morons lasted 10 days, never mind 10 millennia...

 

But jokes aside, is going a bit generic. The grim darkness is what we (guardians of the flame oh you ADB) like about the setting.

 

I find all the calls on ADB and his works everywhere to bash these books really hilarious given what he wrote about them on Twitter. Spoiler alert - it was not pretty. For bashers, that is

 

...just like I don't want them to touch Game of Thrones or Saving Private Ryan until they are ready.

 

You know, this attitude just utterly baffles me. I read Star Diaries at 10, Thrawn trilogy when I was 11, Lord of the Rings when I was 12, and A Game of Thrones when I was 13. Sky didn't fall. In fact, my parents always encouraged me to read stuff above the conventional preconceptions, because most kids are mouth-breathers that wouldn't recognize a good literature if it bit them in [censored], thus giving them stuff at 'appropriate' age is just going to retard their growth.

 

I would even say that not giving your kid anything he/she wants (in reasonable terms, of course) is daft - kid will just find stuff that is too adult for them boring, and put it away. I knew I did - and I'd trust my kids to do the same. Bubblewrapping them and denying them contact with things that will broaden their horizons just because they didn't reached some arbitrary cutoff line set up by even more arbitrary judges to me is, well, just

[b1soul]

This is to 40K what Lego Batman is to Dark Knight

 

Relax guys...treat it as a separate setting/parallel universe

[Enosh]

I find all the calls on ADB and his works everywhere to bash these books really hilarious given what he wrote about them on Twitter. Spoiler alert - it was not pretty. For bashers, that is

he's obviously referring to those tweets...

[RikuEru]

I do look forward to these books. And I can't wait for the kids in my circle of friends to be old enough to join us.

Also all the young customers it will bring into the store, "with their aura of motivation, enthusiastically rolling every dice and looking at every model larger than a Rhino with childish wonder."

(As a store-manager once said)

 

More than any other BL works, these have to be great - and they shouldn't be great for US, they should be great for the teens they are aimed at, firdt and foremost, so they develop further interest for our beloved universe.

 

But I think these can benefit the general lore and our thirst for more aswell.

Frequently people call for more looks inside of the Imperium and Daily-Life events, craving more world building - instead of bolter porn and heroic, but dumb speeches.

 

And I think the books could provide some of that.

Just recently Warcraft did much the same - with a novel series for young teens, following a group of youngsters on their Journey through the world.

Interestingly enough and very unexpected for hardcore-fans and lore-masters, these books brought a sense of scale and danger back into the world. While the kids in the book do have an awful lot of luck, they can't one-shot enemies. And even though they meet many high-profile main-characters along their way, they can't just teleport everywhere. The travels are described quite well (and in scale with the world, unlike some journeys in the main novels -.-), as are details of the day to day life and traditions of some sub-races they encounter or fight.

Their story-telling isn't the most deep, but their world-building is very nicely done - and I think THAT'S what these books need to draw in teens, so they can see that this is a deep universe they can sink their teeth into, but also tell their own stories in, through all aspects of the hobby.

 

And IF GW does this right, they could release matching character-sheets for the new RPG. The kids could play the characters they know now or make their own. And someone like US - parent, sibling, godfather/mother, uncle, aunt, etc. - could act as a Gamemaster for them and lead them deeper into our grimdark universe.

 

I -BET- the first model purchases wouldn't wait for too long.

...and soon after they want full-scale battles, crave to get more plastic&resin, then we will infect them with the caring love for the oldest bits of lore-mentions and in 5-10 years they can start to look down upon GW's newest decisions, just like us!

[rendingon1+]

The question is...are these books canon? :)