Urdesh: The Serpent and the Saint by Matt Farrar

[Taliesin]

Does anyone have anymore info on what this book will be about, other than that its been in the works for a very long time, that its set in the Gaunts Ghosts world and that it features the Iron Snakes Astartes trying to keep an Imperial Saint safe from chaos?

Edited June 7, 2021 by Taliesin

[cheywood]

Does anyone have anymore info on what this book will be about, other than that its been in the works for a very long time, that its set in the Gaunts Ghosts world and that it features the Iron Snakes Astartes trying to keep an Imperial Saint safe from chaos?

Pretty sure that about covers it until we see the back cover description this weekend. Those who follow Farrer’s Twitter might have some more details though.

[jaxom]

For The Warlord and most of The Anarch the Saint is on the other side of Urdesh from the Ghost's engaged in a campaign.

It's during the end battle of that campaign that Brin Milo and Holofurnaces are captured.

I imagine the book will cover that campaign in detail.

[Kelborn]

Super hyped for this one. First Warhammer novel in a while that got me so interested.

 

What do you think? Is that Priad of Damocles on the cover? :O

[Alpharius902]

Super hyped for this one. First Warhammer novel in a while that got me so interested.

 

What do you think? Is that Priad of Damocles on the cover? :O

I believe it’s Holofurnace/some unknown squad we’ll meet in the story. Brothers of the Snake takes place around 20 years after the Sabbat Worlds, so Priad probably is still a child or a petitioner at this point.

[Gederas]

So maybe it's just me but....

 

Doesn't it look like these are Primaris, but with Firstborn helmets and equipment? Reason why I noticed that is the distinctive knee design on the Sergeant and the extra armour on the backpack's vents on all three Astartes

Edited June 7, 2021 by Gederas

[DukeLeto69]

So maybe it's just me but....

 

Doesn't it look like these are Primaris, but with Firstborn helmets and equipment? Reason why I noticed that is the distinctive knee design on the Sergeant and the extra armour on the backpack's vents on all three Astartes

Just down to the artist I would say. Defo not Primaris.

[Kelborn]

 

Super hyped for this one. First Warhammer novel in a while that got me so interested.

 

What do you think? Is that Priad of Damocles on the cover? :O

I believe it’s Holofurnace/some unknown squad we’ll meet in the story. Brothers of the Snake takes place around 20 years after the Sabbat Worlds, so Priad probably is still a child or a petitioner at this point.

Thanks. Didn't knew when Brothers of the Snake took place. :tu:

[cheywood]

Looks like the cover is Priad! Found the back cover description (thanks to Malkydel linking to it in another thread):

 

A Warhammer 40,000 novel War rages across the surface of Urdesh as the Iron Snakes Space Marines attempt to hold the planet against a tide of Chaos forces.

READ IT BECAUSE

Urdesh is a brutal world, the fires of its forge-cities mixing with the many volcanoes and an endless expanse of battle wreckage littering the plains. When the reincarnation of Saint Sabbat herself appears on the blasted battlefields of Urdesh, powerful forces race to secure that which may decide the ultimate fate of the world, and the crusade at large.

THE STORY

The mighty world of Urdesh is burning. The smoke of war mingles with that of her many volcanoes; the wreckage of battle litters her forge-cities and chokes her fertile seas. Until the warriors of the Imperium can free Urdesh from the grip of the Anarch, the future of the entire Sabbat Worlds Crusade will hang in the balance. Across these ashen battlefields strides Brother-Captain Priad and the warriors of Damocles Squad. They must keep safe one of the Imperium’s greatest weapons: the Beati, the reincarnated Saint Sabbat herself, whose very presence on Urdesh inspires the Imperial armies on to glory. But the enemy has plans for the Saint too, and against the malice of the Anarch and the trickery of the warp, the Iron Snakes may truly need a miracle to prevail… Written by Matthew Farrer

[DukeLeto69]

Sounds good to me!!! Knowing Farrer’s work, this will not be a straightforward story. Great!!!

[Lord Marshal]

So maybe it's just me but....

 

 

Doesn't it look like these are Primaris, but with Firstborn helmets and equipment? Reason why I noticed that is the distinctive knee design on the Sergeant and the extra armour on the backpack's vents on all three Astartes

 

The events of Urdesh (and Gaunt's Ghosts in general) take place around 250 years before the end of the 41st Millennium, so Primaris certainly shouldn't be popping up.

[Alpharius902]

Looks like the cover is Priad! Found the back cover description (thanks to Malkydel linking to it in another thread):

 

A Warhammer 40,000 novel War rages across the surface of Urdesh as the Iron Snakes Space Marines attempt to hold the planet against a tide of Chaos forces.

READ IT BECAUSE

Urdesh is a brutal world, the fires of its forge-cities mixing with the many volcanoes and an endless expanse of battle wreckage littering the plains. When the reincarnation of Saint Sabbat herself appears on the blasted battlefields of Urdesh, powerful forces race to secure that which may decide the ultimate fate of the world, and the crusade at large.

THE STORY

The mighty world of Urdesh is burning. The smoke of war mingles with that of her many volcanoes; the wreckage of battle litters her forge-cities and chokes her fertile seas. Until the warriors of the Imperium can free Urdesh from the grip of the Anarch, the future of the entire Sabbat Worlds Crusade will hang in the balance. Across these ashen battlefields strides Brother-Captain Priad and the warriors of Damocles Squad. They must keep safe one of the Imperium’s greatest weapons: the Beati, the reincarnated Saint Sabbat herself, whose very presence on Urdesh inspires the Imperial armies on to glory. But the enemy has plans for the Saint too, and against the malice of the Anarch and the trickery of the warp, the Iron Snakes may truly need a miracle to prevail… Written by Matthew Farrer

Huh, guess Brothers of the Snake got retconned now, given that Seydon explicitly mentioned the Sabbat Crusade as already being completed

[Sothalor]

Seydon's an old guy, and Priad was a new sergeant in Brothers of the Snake. Maybe he was referring to the first Sabbat Crusade?

[DukeLeto69]

Probably a lore cock up cos let’s face it, GW/BL do it sometimes!

 

Also just being pedantic, the Sabbat Crusade was the one led by Saint Sabbat (creating the Sabbat Worlds). The crusade that Urdesh and the GG series is set in is the Sabbat Worlds Crusade.

Edited June 8, 2021 by DukeLeto69

[Kelborn]

Don't know if it's already known but according to my local store manager, the regular paperback version in French and German will also be up for pre order this Saturday.

 

Thought it might be of interest for some. :)

 

 

Oh and for those more familiar with the series, which GG books should I reread prior to Urdesh?

Edited June 10, 2021 by Kelborn

[Sothalor]

I'm guessing The Victory arc will be most relevant, with the events of Warmaster and Anarch (the latter in particular) most directly related. Hell, if the timeline of the novels is what it looks like, the Ghosts are still lost in their little warp-induced timey-wimey plot-pause-button during the events of Urdesh.

 

If the Beati has any particularly relevant role, then maybe Sabbat Martyr is worth revisiting? It's a cracking enjoyable read on its own, regardless.

[Petitioner's City]

Honour Guard too (bk 4) - it really introduced Sabbat.

[DukeLeto69]

Ok brothers some help please.

 

I want to pre-order this tomorrow morning to make sure I get the HB. I have a mywarhammer account but have never done a pre-order. Where do I go?

 

Gonna have to do this on my phone as out and about tomorrow morning!

 

Thanks

[Lord Marshal]

Don't know if it's already known but according to my local store manager, the regular paperback version in French and German will also be up for pre order this Saturday.

 

Thought it might be of interest for some.

 

 

Oh and for those more familiar with the series, which GG books should I reread prior to Urdesh?

 

Honour Guard (Book 4), Sabbat Martyr (Book 7), Salvations Reach (Book 13), The Warmaster (Book 14) and The Anarch (Book 15) are probably the most relevant.

 

I'd still read the whole series though.

Edited June 11, 2021 by Lord Marshal

[Sothalor]

Leto: if you're trying to get a physical copy, you will need to do some from the Games Workshop site proper, NOT the Black Library site.

 

ALL physical books have gone through the main GW Webstore since last year.

 

You will want to be refreshing the site on your browser around 10 AM, your region. In general, new items go up for pre-order at 10 AM. It's not unheard of for things to go up a few minutes before, though.

 

Make sure you're logged in and done whatever captcha is necessary before.

 

You can find all new items on their New and Preorders tab. However, I would probably recommend going to the Black Library tab instead, and set your filters (the "Refine" bar on mobile browsers, if you're on your phone) accordingly for Pre-Orders. This is to help pick pertinent books out from new model pre-orders.

 

Bon chance.

[Bestkeptsecret]

While sticking to the rules of this thread, may I please ask where does the Sabbat Worlds Crusade fall in the timeline in relation to the Indomitus Crusade and the events in Dark Imperium? Are the events described in this book already concluded on the Lexicanum website and we know the result of which faction won? What is the condition of the Sabbat Worlds now and is the Anarch dead? What was the state or era of the Imperium when the Sabbat Worlds Crusades were taking place?

[DukeLeto69]

@melancholic thanks for tips brother

 

So QueueIt = 39min wait from 10am. So no chance!!!!

Edited June 12, 2021 by DukeLeto69

[cheywood]

While sticking to the rules of this thread, may I please ask where does the Sabbat Worlds Crusade fall in the timeline in relation to the Indomitus Crusade and the events in Dark Imperium? Are the events described in this book already concluded on the Lexicanum website and we know the result of which faction won? What is the condition of the Sabbat Worlds now and is the Anarch dead? What was the state or era of the Imperium when the Sabbat Worlds Crusades were taking place?

1. Hundreds of years before. The books start somewhere around 756.M41 I believe. We’re now up to 792ish I believe.

 

2. Lexicanum says it was an ‘Imperial Victory’ overall, but I think that’s incorrect. Far as I know we don’t know the overall outcome yet, and Lexicanum is pretty out of date compared to the novels.

 

3. Crusade’s still going on. Lots of worlds recaptured bloodily, while others remain in enemy hands.

The Anarch died in the latest book.

 

4. Already mentioned the time period above. Imperium was the same as it ever was pre-rift. A few hundred years doesn’t make much difference in its state.

Edited June 12, 2021 by cheywood

[Lord Marshal]

@melancholic thanks for tips brother

 

So QueueIt = 39min wait from 10am. So no chance!!!!

 

It's exaggerated. Mine told me that as well, then suddenly went to 8 minutes. Did manage to get the Dosser LE, so the queue does seem to 'work'.

[Fire Golem]

@melancholic thanks for tips brother

 

So QueueIt = 39min wait from 10am. So no chance!!!!

The limited stuff is gone now, but the normal hardbacks are still around.