Yes more please!

Ask if he'll write another book in the Horus Heresy series. It's my favorite series in all the 40K universe, and another Abnett book would be fantastic

Vehkah - have I met the creators? I know Rik Priestley, and I work very closely with the game designers and developers who are keeping 40k in such great shape. Tony Cottrell lets me in on a lot of cool stuff at Forge World and of course Alan Merritt, the guru of all lore, personally checks everything I do to make sure I'm not getting it wrong.l

Quixos - will Gaunt die in 'only in death'? Sadly, I'm not about to give away a major plot point before a book is published. surprises are surprises for a reason. But he's got to die some time.

Entiliza - What do I enjoy writing about? I like writing about the big military machines like the Imperial Guard, obviously, and I did enjoy fighter combat in Double Eagle (I've always loved planes). There's something very satisfyinig about writing effectiive monsters and cosmic nastiness. More than anything else though, I like writing about the societies and day to day existence of teh 40K universe (and, when I get the chance, The Warhammer world too). Court intrigue, political machinations and recipes etc.

Kageminowara - was it difficult to portray horus as a good guy? No, because he was a good guy to begin with. What makes the Fall of Horus such a monumental event in the history of the 40K universe is that he was the brightest and the best, a great champion, a great hero and second only to the EMperor. The fact that he could fall made the corruption of the Primarchs so extraordinary. I thought it was very important for us to admire Horus at the start of Horus Rising. If there was even a hint that he was imperfect, I think it would have spoiled the importance of what happened afterwards.

Sabbat Martyr: Have you ever considered the amount of inspiration you give games/collectors, just looking at the place that I usualy go to we have 3 players with Ghosts and several players with chaos armies with inspiration from the Gaunt's Ghosts series? It amazes me whenever I see the amount of work people have put into developing modesls and scenes inspired by my various books. I met a guy at Games Day UK last year who had scratch built the most amazing Blood Pact army. I've also seen great diaramas of Eisenhorn, Ravenor and the Ghosts. I'm always flattered and delighted that the inspiration that I draw from the game feeds back to the gamers.

[MCR]Sharp: What advice what advice would you give to someone starting out in the writing buisness
Write, write and keep on writing . You need to build up the writing muscels as much as you possibly can, like a runner training for a long distance race. Be receptive to criticism rather than angered by it and don't be afraid of rewriting what you've written. Oh, and always carry a notebook wherever you go, because you never know when an idea's going to strike you and you can never guarantee remembering it.

Tim: Dan: Which was the hardest character for you to kill off, from any of your books. By that I mean emotionally most difficult for you to write the death of.
That probably has to be Bragg because it was such a major blow. That was the first time a really significant character had been killed. But it's never easy, and without spoiling things for other readers, I'd have to say that the deaths that occurred in Sabbat Matyr and the ARmour of Contempt were both difficult to write. I would also include in the list Bequin in the Eisenhorn Trilogy.

Rogal Dorn: Mr Abnett, this is a question regarding Sinister Dexter, what are your feelings about the strip continuing after the end of 'And Death Shall Have No Dumb Minions'? Would you have preferred it if Tharg had let it lie as it was, or are you happy for the strip to continue, and if so, if you haven't already, would you ever come back and write another story?
It was not my intention to finish Sin Dex with that story, though it was my intention for that to be the point where the series rested for a while. I always knew what would happen next and I simply had to check with Tharg that the strip was still popular enough to warrant further stories. As we go into 2007, Sin Dex is going great guns and proving to be very popular as we build up momentum towards the Wars of the MOses.

esgaming.co.uk | Spec: Was killing off main characters a decision made by you or those 'higher up'? was it hard to kill of such main characters?
The decisions are alwasy made by me. I'm the one to blame.

\/\/yT3: were you under the impression that the gaunts ghosts series would carry on for so long? if so would you have made changes to earlier books to make it easier to continue?
I never realised how long running or successful the series would be when it began, but no I wouldn't have made changes. I like the fact that the career history of the regiment is at times lumpy and unweildy, as they overcome problems of manpower or amalgamation. To me, that makes it feel much more like a real fighting unit. In life, regimental careers are not plotted they simply happen and people work around any changes.

Kn'Thrak:
Do you have a predetirmined plan for all your series, or do you simply work on a novel by novel basis? If so will the ghosts ever end or are they destined to fight on for eternity?
I didn't necessarily have a long term plan to begin with, but now I have. Though it is subject to revision, I do have a definite pathway in mind for the Ghost characters. Only in Death is not the last Ghost book, though there may be a brief pause now before the next one as Black Library have got some other biig projects to keep me busy for a few months.

SCCA) ironskull79 [{1I}]: if you could choose any army in 40k what would it be?
Imperial Guard of course.

biggassmonkey: would you ever write a novel where the main character is a non-human character (eldar, orks, tyranids etc)?
I'd love to. It would be a challenge and the Black Library have certain reservations about non-human viewpoints. However I might be able to work a strand in before too long.

Do you read for pleasure? And if so, which authors do you read?
Of course. I always have. I'd be alarmed if a writer saide they didn't. Favourite authors growing up included Bradbury, Lovecraft, Vance, Buchan, Vonnegurt, Peake... I could go on. These days I'll try anything. I regulaarly give recommendations on my blog.

Dakka Dakka: Mr. Abnett, have there ever been any character's in any of the novels or comics that you have written that have been based on you? I know from personal experience that the urge to throw myself into something I write is rather strong.
Well, I'm Harlon Nayl for a start

Vehkalh/Suicidal-Healer: I represent a Warhammer 40,000 gaming group called the Union of the Unforgiven, and we would like to know, what with the Dark Angel fever going around, if the Black Library has approached you regarding an Angel-themed project? Not so far.

Flesh-hound: How do your first works (writing style) compare to where you are today?
I'd like to think I've improved. I see a kind of positive evolution in my style, though I don't know if anyone else does. I think I'm attempting things these days that I simply couldn't have managed ten years ago.

SS2 Maximilian: Most of Black Library's authors for the 40k universe tend to
write in the military sci-fi bracket, particularly when writing
about Space Marines. Your books, particularly the Eisenhorn
books, have tended to be more character-driven than event-driven,
with character development, rather than the passage of events,
being paramount. Are your upcoming novels going to be thus,
or more event-driven?
You've gotta have both, in my opinion. The Horus books that I am writing are obviously event driven, but if there isn't character there, those events are rather empty and nobody would care.. It is however nice to switch between huge event related books like the Horus series and tight focused intrigue books like Ravenor Rogue.

Do you read any of the other Warhammer 40K authors' work? Which authors would you recommend to fans who have enjoyed your books?
ABsolutely. I very much enjoy Graham McNeil's books, and I was a big fan of Matt Farrer's Calpurniea series. Sandy Mitchell, Robert Earl and Steve Parker are all good reads too. Black Library wouldn't publish you uif you weren't worth reading.

He actually answered one of my questions even though I asked all of Haakon's and Agemmon first.

Edwin: Could you please go over your education history? What degree do you hold and from which institute? Any other non-traditional forms of training or education that you have used?
OK... I read English language and literature at St Edmund Hall Oxford, but all my on the job training in terms of stroy telling was obtained while I was an editorial trainee at Marvel Comics and working on such demanding licenses as Thundercats, Ghostbusters and the Mr Men

][-][orus: Do you plan on having your hand in the Warhammer 40k mmorpg that was just revealed to be under development?
I have already contributed background and setting material to the project.

[ReVolt] ράφиэχкilleя: The Warhammer 40,000 universe and game are made up of many different characters, each important in some way. Some of these characters are more important to the universe and game than others, some are just there for effect in my opinion, but overall, who do you think is the most amazing (favourite, most entertaining) Character you've ever written about?
That's got to be a tie between Rawne, Cuu, Eisenhorn himself and Carl Thonius.

Benandorf: Is there any particular reason you haven't written any books from a Space Marine's perspective?
I have. Apart from Horus Rising, of course, my major foray into Space Marines is published in May. It's called Brothers of the Snake.

entilza678: How do you create intricate and involved characters like Gaunt or Ravenor? Where do you get the inspiration and what are the secrets to keeping such characters fresh and exciting?
I base them all on real people or combinations of real people.

Evil Jon: How much creative control does Games Workshop have over your work? Can you write anything you want, or do you have to get approval? Could you kill off the Emperor if you wanted to?
They give me a great deal of creative control. However, the playground is theres and I do need their approval and fact checking in the process of writing, especially something like the Horus books. Could I kill the EMperor? What makes you think I haven't?

Raven(DL): Mr. Abnett, could you perhaps describe some of the proccess you take when creating the plot for your novels? Most of them, especially Ravenor and Eisenhorn have excellent hooks and twists, hard to pick up on... but ultimately add to the storyline and excitement.
Each novel is drawn up to a general plan that the Black Library editors apporve,. I try to shape each one in different ways so as to avoid repitions of circumstance and action. On an ongoing basis, I gather ideas and details that interest me in my notebooks, and I use these to bring colour to the plot, crafting from them the smaller events and steps that will link the broad plan together. Once in a while, one of these little steps will twist a plot in an unexpected way and then I have to make some radical revisions as to where I'm going.

-SoD-Gamb1e: How long does it take to make a book, in general?
I tend to reckon on three to four months per novel. That's hard graft and I will be simultaneously writing comicbook projects etc. I did write one book (Honour Guard) in a month straight, but that was special circumstances as my computer had crashed and wiped the first draft completely.

Benzor [ЯәvİveĐ]: Have you ever belived on some of the morals in your books,and the lessons that your could get out of them?
It may not be very clear, but I think there is a moral compass in the Gaunt books. The stories tend to celebrate loyalty and comradeship in the face of appalling odds. The moral compass in the Eisenhorn and Ravenor novesl is understandably murkier, and often gets corrupted, but I stillt hink certain basic human virtues can be identified and celebrated.

marshall': How do you attempt to capture the essense of warhammer, and its characters within a novel?
I approach it as if I was writing a historical novel and research comparable historical periods for details of society and character that will help give the Warhammer world greater authenticity in fiction.

=FL=CPT.Champ11: Mr. Abnett, do you plan on starting another Imperial Guard or Inquisition series?
perhaps not Imperial Guard, but I am contemplating writing about the Imperial ARmy in the Horus books. As far as the Inquisition is concerned, I fully expect the Eisenhorn/Ravernor books to continue after Ravenor Rogue, either with antoher Ravenor book or a new Eisenhorn stroy. Or perhaps something else that features both of them.

Lazers: Which series has been the most enjoyable to write to date?
Every book I write is my favourite while I'm writing it, and I enjoy them all. WRiting the Eisenhorn and Ravenor books has probably been the most rewarding experience creatively, but every time I turn to the Ghosts it's like meeting old friends.

pittreaper: Did your parents want you to be a writer or something different?
I think they wanted me to be a writer or an artist, something like that. They're certainly very pleased to see me with a writing career . They both read my books. I sometimes wonder if they're quite so pleased that my writing career involves quite so much shooty death kill in space

Ok, that concludes the chat with Dan Abnett.

Thanks for posting that, Edwin. That's really cool that you got to be involved. Interesting character.

Fed, I'd say go with Eisenhorn. You can pick up, what? 800 pages or something ridiculous for $10. If you don't like it, you're not out too much, and if you do like it, then you've got several interrelated stories to continue on.

I've enjoyed the Horus Heresy so far. The second book is not quite as strong as the first, but the third is right up there. The forth is also written by the author of "Galaxy in Flames" (I think, I'm too lazy to double check) so there is some consistency. It's really interesting to see where it all started...

Yeah... I was speed skimming last night and somehow thought you had a gig of some kind with GW... nevermind.

I mean, yes, what do you do for work?

IT Consultant. Typical for this board.

That's very cool--someday Real Soon Now I'm going to buy the Eisenhorn 3-volume phone book.

I'm stoked that Stross is included in the company of several big names.