# Hammer & Bolter



## Commissar Ploss (Feb 29, 2008)

Yo yo yo! CP here again,

Got a tip/link to information about the first issue of Hammer & Bolter magazine from a friend (thanks Sarah :wink

Here's a little info posted by Christian Dunn on the BL Bolthole,



> Greetings!
> 
> As some of you are already aware, Black Library will be launching a digital-only short story publication entitled Hammer & Bolter as part of our new range of eBooks and digital products. While a few details are left to to be ironed out, I can exclusively reveal the table of contents for the debut issue.
> 
> ...


feel free to discuss!

CP


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## Lord of the Night (Nov 18, 2009)

The finale of the Soul Drinkers series is relegated to a comic release!, the rest fine but why must _Phalanx_ not be given a full novel release. Its the end of the Soul Drinkers, it deserves that.


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## Commissar Ploss (Feb 29, 2008)

i was under the impression that Phalanx was to be released in POD format as well... I'll have to check up on that.

CP


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## dark angel (Jun 11, 2008)

I think it is more of an extract than anything, actually. It will more than likely be a novel, I doubt that Black Library would blow off something that big. And Ploss, it was _Daenyathos_ for the POD


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## Commissar Ploss (Feb 29, 2008)

dark angel said:


> I think it is more of an extract than anything, actually. It will more than likely be a novel, I doubt that Black Library would blow off something that big. And Ploss, it was _Daenyathos_ for the POD


sorry mate, but _Daenyathos_ was a limited edition, not a Print On Demand title. 

CP


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## dark angel (Jun 11, 2008)

Oh....Just oh....:laugh:

My bad! I thought print on demand, seeing as there was a limite-


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## World Eater XII (Dec 12, 2008)

POD doesnt mean limited, just means they print whenever the fuck someone orders, right?


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## Commissar Ploss (Feb 29, 2008)

World Eater XII said:


> POD doesnt mean limited, jst means they print wenever the fuck someone orders right?


correct. the POD titles are printed by licensed, out-of-house, printing companies. whenever an order goes through.

CP


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## Khorne's Fist (Jul 18, 2008)

I for one am delighted with the release of ebooks. Having finally set up my sony reader after getting it for christmas, I can safely say it is the best present I have ever gotten. As to a new magazine, it has been badly needed in any format since the demise of Warhammer monthly and Inferno.


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## Commissar Ploss (Feb 29, 2008)

I'm itching to read teh John Brunner story though. should be an interesting insight.

CP


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## Cloysterpete (Apr 30, 2010)

How long till every-thing Black Library is digital and pod only?, I would guess at 5 years?.

I've had to recently buy an e-reader because now a lot of the books I want to read (esp in horror one of my fav genres) isn't being printed, just released as an e-book. Just a few days ago the oldest mass-market publisher in the States stopped producing mass-market books in favour of e-books so there goes another one.


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## Commissar Ploss (Feb 29, 2008)

i doubt that they will ever _stop_ printing book, or if they do, it won't be for a very long time. No sweat though, if you've got an ereader then you're all set. lol

CP


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## Cloysterpete (Apr 30, 2010)

Yeah they won't stop printing them but all other publishers are struggling with mass-markets books so I doubt BL are immune, there'll still be POD and the limiteds I expect. 

I just hope they price the e-books sensible, not at the same price as the real book!.


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## Pyroriffic (Feb 28, 2010)

At least the first issue of _Hammer & Bolter_ is that most delightful of prices.

Free.


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## Boc (Mar 19, 2010)

Pyroriffic said:


> At least the first issue of _Hammer & Bolter_ is that most delightful of prices.
> 
> Free.


This is most certainly excellent news.

Also, my Primarch, fancy seeing you around these parts :thank_you:


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## Pyroriffic (Feb 28, 2010)

I've been lurking for a long time...

There's no escape, you know.


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## Commissar Ploss (Feb 29, 2008)

scary isn't it. lol

CP


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## Boc (Mar 19, 2010)

I just had to check my wardrobe and under my bed.

Back on topic: I (very conveniently) bought my wife a Nook from Barnes & Noble last week for her birthday. Seems I will have to confiscate it upon my return 

Definitely looking forward to this compilation, I love the short story collections, as you get to flavor chapters/aspects of 40K that BL tends not to publish novels on.


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## Pyroriffic (Feb 28, 2010)

Me? Scary?

I'm affable and lovely, me.

Anyway, I've dragged the thread way off track and shall therefore crawl back under my rock and peek out like some sort of hermit crab.


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## Boc (Mar 19, 2010)

For some reason, that makes you even creepier than before.


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## Commissar Ploss (Feb 29, 2008)

Pyroriffic said:


> Anyway, I've dragged the thread way off track and shall therefore crawl back under my rock and peek out like some sort of hermit crab.


nah, don't do that! 

hey Boc, how much was a nook?

CP


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## Boc (Mar 19, 2010)

Commissar Ploss said:


> hey Boc, how much was a nook?


It was 149.00, I didn't get the one with the faster WiFi... because I'm a horrible hubby.

They've also got accessories (like a book-cover-looking carrying case, etc) on the website.


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## Commissar Ploss (Feb 29, 2008)

interesting, i'll have to check it out...

CP


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## Cloysterpete (Apr 30, 2010)

CP, the new kindles are cheaper but they don't have the colour screen of the nook, I went with the Kindle as tbh I've never used Barnes & Noble lol.


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## Boc (Mar 19, 2010)

The nook doesn't have a backlight to it, I've yet to hear from the wiff as to how this affects readability (especially in sunlight)


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## Pyroriffic (Feb 28, 2010)

Boc said:


> The nook doesn't have a backlight to it, I've yet to hear from the wiff as to how this affects readability (especially in sunlight)


Another great example why the printed word will always be ultimately superior.


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## Cloysterpete (Apr 30, 2010)

Why will it always be superior?, as far as I know my paper books don't come with a light neither ...just messing you mean the readability aspect well have you seen e-ink?. It's surprisingly good now (no complaints of eye-strain for example) for relatively new tech after only a few years of development, fast forward five years and the readers will be $50, print books will be reduced to niche pod & small press titles and the color e-ink used on readers will be indistinguishable from the printed word. 

btw no e-readers (that I've seen) are back-lighted, which means you don't get any of the glare you would get if you tried to read in bright sunlight from an ipad,iphone etc.


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## Pyroriffic (Feb 28, 2010)

It's the lack of new book smell. And the feel of the paper beneath your fingertips. Reading a book - a physical thing that spirits you away to other worlds - is a magical experience. Digitalising it seems wrong.

A book is a thing of beauty. A gadget is just a gadget.


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## Mossy Toes (Jun 8, 2009)

I think we should just give this one to Pyro, seeing as she's one of the authors in this, the first e-book/zine thing being released by BL (yes, that's right, Sarah Cawkwell's 'Primary Instinct').

Saw it on the bolthole, of course, but that doesn't stop me from being super excited!


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## Cloysterpete (Apr 30, 2010)

Pyroriffic said:


> It's the lack of new book smell. And the feel of the paper beneath your fingertips. Reading a book - a physical thing that spirits you away to other worlds - is a magical experience. Digitalising it seems wrong.
> 
> A book is a thing of beauty. A gadget is just a gadget.


It's the words themselves that are the magical thing, the story itself.......not really important to me whether the words are on a bit of paper or a screen. So long as the gadget is good to hold and text is easy to view that's all that's relevant.

In the future i'll miss the sight of a nice new collection of the latest book series in hc/pb on my bookshelves but I would be missing out on far more if I tried to pretend that the e-book era wasn't coming, I mean what are you going to do the first time a book you would love to read by your favourite author comes out only as an e-book?, deprive yourself of reading the book just because it's on a screen?, pretend the author hasn't wrote it?. 

Already happened to me and e-books are still in there infancy (8% of book sales are now e-books).


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## Commissar Ploss (Feb 29, 2008)

Cloysterpete said:


> It's the words themselves that are the magical thing, the story itself.......not really important to me whether the words are on a bit of paper or a screen. So long as the gadget is good to hold and text is easy to view that's all that's relevant.
> 
> In the future i'll miss the sight of a nice new collection of the latest book series in hc/pb on my bookshelves but I would be missing out on far more if I tried to pretend that the e-book era wasn't coming, I mean what are you going to do the first time a book you would love to read by your favourite author comes out only as an e-book?, deprive yourself of reading the book just because it's on a screen?, pretend the author hasn't wrote it?.
> 
> Already happened to me and e-books are still in there infancy (8% of book sales are now e-books).


This could turn into a nice debate, so i suggest we move it to a new thread... we'll continue to talk about Hammer & Bolter here. If you'd like to debate the pro's and con's of ebooks, start a new thread.

CP

In an effort to move the thread back on topic... So Pyro, what is your favorite Xenos species?


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## Pyroriffic (Feb 28, 2010)

Mossy Toes said:


> I think we should just give this one to Pyro, seeing as she's one of the authors in this, the first e-book/zine thing being released by BL (yes, that's right, Sarah Cawkwell's 'Primary Instinct').
> 
> Saw it on the bolthole, of course, but that doesn't stop me from being super excited!


So much for keeping a carefully maintained low profile... :crazy:

((Removed e-book comments so that I can put them in the proper place...  ))

*EDITED* Sorry CP - I didn't see your post until after I stuck this up - will shift it accordingly!


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## Pyroriffic (Feb 28, 2010)

Commissar Ploss said:


> In an effort to move the thread back on topic... So Pyro, what is your favorite Xenos species?


Hmm.

I'd probably have to say the Tau, to be honest. I like the concept of their world and their overall philosophy.

In terms of horrible things to fight against, you can't go wrong with a suitable collection of tyranids, though...


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## Commissar Ploss (Feb 29, 2008)

Pyroriffic said:


> So much for keeping a carefully maintained low profile... :crazy:
> 
> ((Removed e-book comments so that I can put them in the proper place...  ))
> 
> *EDITED* Sorry CP - I didn't see your post until after I stuck this up - will shift it accordingly!


not that big of a deal really, i just want to keep things on target. that's all. 

_shameless movie quote:

A: "700 meters!"

B: "Stay on target..."

A: "600 meters!"

B: "Stay on target!"

A: "500 meters and closing!"

B: "STAY ON TARGET!!!"_



Pyroriffic said:


> Hmm.
> 
> I'd probably have to say the Tau, to be honest. I like the concept of their world and their overall philosophy.
> 
> In terms of horrible things to fight against, you can't go wrong with a suitable collection of tyranids, though...


[arrrrrgh! My traps be failin'!]
Aye, my thoughts exactly...although... neither of those seem like likely candidates for the xenos in your story...hmmm...this will require more thought... Since you still refuse to give any of us a hint! 

CP


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## Pyroriffic (Feb 28, 2010)

This fish ain't biting..


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## Boc (Mar 19, 2010)

Are the xenos... Sullastans?


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## Pyroriffic (Feb 28, 2010)

I refer the honourable gentleman to my previous statement.


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## Commissar Ploss (Feb 29, 2008)

Boc said:


> Are the xenos... Sullastans?


I've tried mate, really i have, but even my guile and charm could not coerce her into revealing the antagonists of that excerpt... 

CP


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## Pyroriffic (Feb 28, 2010)

What I would like you to imagine is me sitting here, giving out an evil laugh of quite terrifying proportions.

It goes a little like this:

Muwahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!


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## Commissar Ploss (Feb 29, 2008)

Pyroriffic said:


> What I would like you to imagine is me sitting here, giving out an evil laugh of quite terrifying proportions.
> 
> It goes a little like this:
> 
> Muwahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!


lol quite so!  it is befitting someone of your icy cold disregard for fan questions! 
_(just kidding!)_
CP


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## Pyroriffic (Feb 28, 2010)

Icy disregard. I like this! I shall be the Ice Queen. Distant and aloof.

Or, you know. Something.


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## Commissar Ploss (Feb 29, 2008)

Pyroriffic said:


> Icy disregard. I like this! I shall be the Ice Queen. Distant and aloof.
> 
> Or, you know. Something.


brrr...

_"She's the Ice Queeeeeeen! Spins an icicle, any size! She's Ice Queeeeeenn!"_


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## Commissar Ploss (Feb 29, 2008)

update: I've been given the first issue of Hammer & Bolter to peruse in advance of its release date. I'm quite liking it so far. 

CP


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## Chaosveteran (Aug 29, 2010)

does it have both 40kan WHF stuff?


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## Commissar Ploss (Feb 29, 2008)

Chaosveteran said:


> does it have both 40kan WHF stuff?


yes it does. 

_Questing Knight_ by Reynolds and _ A Place of Quiet Assembly_ by Brunner are both Fantasy.

where, the _Strange Demise of Titus Endor_, _Primary Instinct_, _Prospero Burns (chapter 1)_, and _Phalanx (chapters 1&2 )_, are 40k. 

CP


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## Chaosveteran (Aug 29, 2010)

Commissar Ploss said:


> yes it does.
> 
> _Questing Knight_ by Reynolds and _ A Place of Quiet Assembly_ by Brunner are both Fantasy.
> 
> ...


Nooo....the horror, 40k and fantasy all in one!! Well that's just me as I'm a 40k reader. 

Great that it's out though, but when will that happen for the rest of us?


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## Pyroriffic (Feb 28, 2010)

Have a read here. Will tell you everything you ever needed/wanted/didn't want to know.


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