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Valdor: Birth of the Imperium


b1soul

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https://www.blacklibrary.com/all-products/valdor-birth-of-the-imperium-ltd-ed-2019.html

 

https://www.trackofwords.com/2019/10/26/rapid-fire-chris-wraight-talks-valdor-birth-of-the-imperium/

 

Since this book is up for order, I think we could dedicate a separate thread to it outside the upcoming thread.

 

Really excited for it. I think there will probably be Thunder Warrior characters, juicy details about the Culling. Hope Arik Taranis is mentioned but I believe all the major characters will be unknowns.

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EDIT: Flashbacks and references in Dreams of Unity, Prospero Burns, and The Outcast Dead...The Last Church, perhaps?

Last Church would be cool because it was always a weird one to me.

 

Because it takes place 3yrs prior to the Primarchs being missing, which always threw me for a chronological loop.

 

I would also welcome a chance to see Terra at the time, it just sounds like such a cool setting.

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The Unification Wars (early, mid, or late) would be make for a great post-apocalyptic RPG setting with the theme: the night is darkest before the dawn

EDIT: Sedayne's flashbacks in The Great Work also touch upon this period.

Best part of that is the idea that you see what the Emp was up before being the Emp, just some scientist hanging out in a remote mountain and coming down from time to time to keep the genes in the area stable.

 

Its also interesting that he was recruiting 3 centuries before the Crusade, it also gives us a clear idea as to earliest start date for the Unity. 

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It might also be interesting to get a glimpse of the legions back then. Several fought in the Unification Wars, I definitely remember the Salamanders doing so. They helped defeat one of the last Warlords, I think. But my overall knowledge on the UWs is quite shaky at best.

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With the HH series (cashcow) coming to a close they will need something else to keep things going. I wonder if these books are sort of a test to gauge interest in this setting? I am def for this as I think the unification stuff is super interesting with thunder warriors and early founding SM, malcador, etc.

 

Scouring would be great but I don’t think there are any books in this setting?

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They don't have to do a 50 novel Unification Wars series, just treat it as a sandbox/setting to be explored

I think unification wars is a story with a very definite beginning and end and it would suit a serialised story perhaps alongside sandbox stories would be fine, but not telling the story would be frustrating.

Sandbox works well in 40k because it so flipping vast and (until recently) very stagnant. Unification is in comparison tiny and fast moving. Story needed I think 10 books (or so...)

Edited by Knockagh
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The Unification Wars is definitely an epic narrative. How long did it last? Could've been a century or two like the GC.

 

FW Terran legions would straddle the late UW and the early GC. Some (Ist Legion for example) likely fought alongside Thunder Warriors before helping the Custodes to cull their former comrades. Fascinating time period worthy of more exploration and mystery-building (mystery only works if readers are supplied with meaninful and tantalising clues and references).

 

EDIT: The reconquest of the Sol System would make for a fascinating Beast-style series

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There are few people I trust to writing the deep-dive, iconic moments of the 30k-40k universe. I’ve been really impressed by some of the authors really stepping up the whole genre and I think Chris is one of those guys. I’m so excited to read this.... just can’t do the LE version, but it appears sold out anyway so I can’t be tempted!
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Got mine. Much faster than normal from black library. Well done them. Beautiful little book, absolutely perfect presentation. The cover, spine, endpaper art, interior art and the nice paper used. Flawless.

 

The quote on the back could be straight out of 1984. Nice to see the single eagle head with crossed bolts used for the sticker and icon on the back cover. I would love to see chapter opening art used and perhaps one or two pencil sketches. But that’s extra cost. All in all very nice.

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I wish they'd do something just a little extra. Yes the books are amazing work, but they sit on a shelf.

 

I think (for example) a really cool, unique coin. Let's say it is a limited edition, numbered coin showing the currency of the era of that storyline. Something perhaps after that would be better? Perhaps a unification era medallion? Something you could put in your pocket, or on your desk. I know I'd love something like that. But I guess if they're selling out at this price point, there's no need on their part. 

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Is the paper acid-free?

I have no way of knowing. You would need to write and ask if this is something that’s important to you. Archival quality paper is great for documents of historical value or a special edition you may wish to pass on to your kids for some reason. I own several bibles which are hundreds of years old which aren’t printed on archival paper. I tend not to handle them, but do on occasion. These are items I do want to pass on. BL books not so much.....all depends what you want from these books. The quality of the paper will certainly stay good for my life time. Which for a book which is for me just a bit of fun will do me nicely.

I know folio society books are on acid free paper but their limited runs are significantly more expensive than BLs and their standard books would have a comparatively huge print run. I’d rather have extra art than paper that will out live me!

Edited by Knockagh
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Probably something along the lines of "wow, this just sounds like he's reciting that book God Delusion by Richard Dawkins"?

 

Sorry, not a fan of Last Church, just sounded like fanfic of some new teen atheist. Instead of going into the actual reasons for the Imperial Truth (there are powers out there that use religion for their own nefarious purposes, by denying them worship we weaken them), the Emperor just parrots the usual "but you can't prove God exists therefore he doesn't, checkmate theists!"

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Probably something along the lines of "wow, this just sounds like he's reciting that book God Delusion by Richard Dawkins"?

 

Sorry, not a fan of Last Church, just sounded like fanfic of some new teen atheist. Instead of going into the actual reasons for the Imperial Truth (there are powers out there that use religion for their own nefarious purposes, by denying them worship we weaken them), the Emperor just parrots the usual "but you can't prove God exists therefore he doesn't, checkmate theists!"

Yes it was lazy writing. It tried to attach itself to nu atheism which was all the rage at the time. I’m not generally a fan of my fiction trying to reflect today’s political trends.

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