# My interview with Dan 'The Master' Abnett - Part 1



## Phil73805 (Feb 28, 2010)

Howdy all, not sure whether any of you had come across this but part 1 of my interview with Dan Abnett is up over at BSC review and I thought there might be some interest here on Heresy Online.

http://www.bscreview.com/2011/03/dan-abnett-interview-part-1

Feel free to post some comments there or if you prefer discuss it right here. Part 2 of the interview will be a recorded Skype conversation between myself and Sir Dan in which I'll be talking with him about his new book _Embedded_ and lots of BL related stuff.

If there are any issues/questions you'd like put to him then please do share them here. I'm not entirely certain where the conversation will go but Dan has told me that as far as he's concerned we can just chat until we run out of things to say...it won't shock you to learn that I'm really excited :grin:


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## Angel of Blood (Aug 18, 2010)

Mmmmm interesting. One thing i've always wanted to ask Dan, although very minor, is: What the hell happened to Sgt Bray in the Gaunts Ghosts series. He was only a background character, but he was mentioned quite alot in the first two omnibuses, and said to be one of the inner circle, elite of the Ghosts, even going so far as to state in one book that Bray and his mob were part of the core five Ghost platoons, along with Corbec, Rawne, Mkoll and Soric. But then he disappeared, never to be heard of again. So yeah, very very minor, but it's always bothered me


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## ckcrawford (Feb 4, 2009)

Nice work. I appreciate someone going beyond the call to see whats up and stuff. +rep. That was enjoyable. Can't wait to read the next one.


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## Phil73805 (Feb 28, 2010)

Thanks CK, glad you enjoyed it. Part two will be a recorded conversation so no reading required. You can listen to it while painting/building minis


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## dark angel (Jun 11, 2008)

Pretty good Phil. 

Are you still asking questions? If so - Any chance we can get some in? :wink:


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## Phil73805 (Feb 28, 2010)

Like I said in the last paragraph of my initial post, yes, ask away. In our Skype discussion I will most certainly be asking more questions and I'm happy to put across the questions of Heresy Online members. I don't want the conversation to be me just reading out loads of questions but I'll get a couple in there for sure.

So far I have one, what happened to Sgt. Bray?


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## Mossy Toes (Jun 8, 2009)

Why so many wet leopard growls?

(rest assured that I loved Prospero Burns as one of the most cerebral and enjoyable Heresy books so far, but...the question begs to be asked)


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## GrimzagGorwazza (Aug 5, 2010)

Will we ever see Milo again? Feel free to ignore this if he's in Blood Pact...i'm rereading them all before i buy that one.


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## Phil73805 (Feb 28, 2010)

I thought Milo was dead...? Not sure but I'll try and get to that.


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## Phil73805 (Feb 28, 2010)

People, my interview with Dan Abnett over Skype is happening in one hour from now. If you have any questions now would be the time to ask!


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## demonictalkin56 (Jan 30, 2011)

Will we see Mkvenner again?

Many thanks for puttin questions out on the forum btw!!!!


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## Phil73805 (Feb 28, 2010)

Your question has been added to the list. Thanks.


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## Unknown Primarch (Feb 25, 2008)

can you ask him why he changed who chopped bjorns arm off from valdor to hawser when it has always been known as valdor. seeing as it was such a short scene it doesnt really make sense to chage it seeing as valdor is short of in that scene too. is that the last we will ever hear of this or is it due to laying the grounds for something in the future? 

thx mate hope i wasnt too late to get it answered


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## Phil73805 (Feb 28, 2010)

Alrighty, the interview is now done! I asked all your questions and mentioned you all by your handles and I think you'll all be really chuffed with his answers. He answered each of your questions at length and in great detail. Dan Abnett is, as you already know, the quintessential Gentleman.

The full interview runs to 1:32:50 so lots of Abnetty goodness to enjoy. We talk about all things Abnett, including some exclusives about the next two Abnett Horus Heresy novels...

When the interview goes live you'll find Dan's answers starting around 43:13


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## Mossy Toes (Jun 8, 2009)

I look forward to watching!


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## Unknown Primarch (Feb 25, 2008)

thanks dude. sorry for a few spelling mistakes but i was in a rush as it had just on the 1 hour deadline you gave. hope you understood what i was saying lol


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## Hammer49 (Feb 12, 2011)

Sounds good. Look forward to seeing it.


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## demonictalkin56 (Jan 30, 2011)

awesome and again many thanks


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## Phil73805 (Feb 28, 2010)

Alrighty the interview is live! Have at it. Please do comment on the site, I may try to point Dan in the direction of any questions or comments. I hope you enjoy it, I'm really chuffed with it.

http://www.boomtron.com/2011/06/dan-abnett-interview-part-2-2/


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## Unknown Primarch (Feb 25, 2008)

just listening now, great interview mate. thanks for asking my question. if you ever get to do another one with him if you drop me a PM im sure i could give you a few more questions to ask. didnt really have too much time to come up with much just because i went into panic mode thinking i missed the slot.


p.s. just got to the bit about him trying to make ultramarines cool and thought no way is that gonna happen and now hearing him bemused about fans hating ultramarine movie because of fanboy hate. wow gotta say im quite surprised at both these answers as for me the reason that the ultramarines are so despised is not because they are the poster boy but because of how their legion/chapter characteristics are.
cant see how dan will be able to get past this and make fans like them. i hope im wrong and i suppose he can use the fact UM could be slightly different im manner in 30k but its gonna be a big ask and i can see it working as well as he maybe envisages. any opinions from you guys?


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## Phil73805 (Feb 28, 2010)

Thanks Unknown Primarch, glad you're enjoying the interview!

I said to him in the conversation that trying to change the mind of the kind of fanboy who foams at the mouth is just not going to happen but to be honest I don't think he's really aiming for that group. He's trying to change the mind of people like you, people who engage with the story and don't like the personality of the character/chapter. He wants to lend them the sort of cool that the other Legions have enjoyed from the series.


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## forkmaster (Jan 2, 2010)

_Unremembered Empire_, is that a new installment of Horus Hereys or a fantasy novell? I never understood which one it was.


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## Mossy Toes (Jun 8, 2009)

He said it was his next Heresy novel, after The Outcast Dead.


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## bobss (May 18, 2008)

Mossy Toes said:


> He said it was his next Heresy novel, after The Outcast Dead.


Graham McNeill's next Horus Heresy novel shall be titled _Unremembered Empire_? 

I'm probably jumping the bandwagon, but it certainly reminds me of the Iron Warriors Legion...


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## Mossy Toes (Jun 8, 2009)

Erm, Graham? Surely you mean Dan...


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## bobss (May 18, 2008)

Mossy Toes said:


> Erm, Graham? Surely you mean Dan...


Yet Graham is writing _The Outcast Dead_; Dan writing _Know No Fear_? Even if I've read your original statement wrong, _Deliverance Lost _is after _The Outcast Dead_. I don't see where _Unremembered Empire _fits into any of this.


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## Romolo (Sep 6, 2010)

Unremembered Empire is Dan's next book after Know No Fear. So expect it Spring time 2013.


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## bobss (May 18, 2008)

Romolo said:


> Unremembered Empire is Dan's next book after Know No Fear. So expect it Spring time 2013.


Wow. I really didn't expect, firstly, Dan to have another Horus Heresy novel so soon, and secondly, another Horus Heresy novel in the pipeline 2 years away.


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## forkmaster (Jan 2, 2010)

And this _Unremembered Empire_ will have connections to _Know no fear_? Might this be about Imperium Segundus? Ultramarines perhaps? Lets speculate here.


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## Mossy Toes (Jun 8, 2009)

Riiiight, my bad. I said _The Outcast Dead_ rather than _Know No Fear_. Sorry!


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## bobss (May 18, 2008)

forkmaster said:


> And this _Unremembered Empire_ will have connections to _Know no fear_? Might this be about Imperium Segundus? Ultramarines perhaps? Lets speculate here.


I was speaking to World Eater about this earlier, and we really didn't have a clue. I'm thinking, no, hoping, it is the Iron Warriors. But from the sound's of it, it sounds non-Astartes. 

I doubt it would be the Ultramarines. I mean, Ultramar certainly is remembered. :laugh:


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## Romolo (Sep 6, 2010)

Apparently the Know No Fear book ( which details the Battle for Calth ) will have implications for several of the HH books that will come after that. I think something will happen in that book that will show why Papa Smurf choose to take the path that was show in Age of Darkness. And Unremembered Empire I think will build upon that.


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## Phil73805 (Feb 28, 2010)

Romolo said:


> Apparently the Know No Fear book ( which details the Battle for Calth ) will have implications for several of the HH books that will come after that. I think something will happen in that book that will show why Papa Smurf choose to take the path that was show in Age of Darkness. And Unremembered Empire I think will build upon that.


Congratulations for being the only guy here who can listen and then remember what you've heard! :gimmefive:

Yes, Dan's next two Horus Heresy books are Know No Fear followed by Unremembered Empire. Dan's writing Know No Fear to set up Unremembered Empire. Know No Fear will address those of you who were mystified or disappointed with Prospero Burns by giving you what you were expecting, pure undiluted Bolter Porn :biggrin:


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