Black Library Explains Horus Heresy Versions

Over the last year The Black Library has started releasing different editions of its popular Horus Heresy series.  This has caused both confusion and consternation among collectors.  So is there a plan here?    Well, fear not, if you want the small paperbacks, you will get them, just not right away.  Here is the lowdown on how The Black Library is handling the release of different formats of their Horus Heresy series.

From The Black Library:

What one’s right for me?

Since we introduced the two new formats for our Horus Heresy range, we’ve received a number of questions, notably:

What size are the new formats?
What is the time period between the releases?
Will I be able to continue my paperback collection?

So we thought we’d devote today’s blog to answering these.

What size are the new formats?

A picture is said to paint a thousand words, so this seems like the best way to compare the new formats with the existing paperback range:



The hardback collector’s edition is the first to be released and contains not only the story, but four exclusive illustrations, an author (or editor) afterword, a numbered spine (so you can easily keep your collection in order) and the full cover art printed on the hardcover.

The trade paperback is a large-format softcover that includes flaps on the covers, inside which you can see the full, unadorned artwork.

Finally, the ‘legacy edition’ paperback is exactly the same format that collectors of the Horus Heresy will be familiar with.

What is the time period between releases?

The first of these formats to be available is the hardback collector’s edition. This will come out alongside the unabridged MP3 audiobook, the Enhanced eBook (including the illustrations and author afterword), the poster and the digital wallpaper. You can buy these on blacklibrary.com and we’ve even put together some bundle deals to enable you to pick up the different formats together. The novels themselves will also be available from Games Workshop Hobby Centres.

Next, we have the trade paperback. This deluxe softback edition is available from blacklibrary.com and in all good bookstores. It is released three months after the collector’s edition. For example, Betrayer was released in hardback at the end of December and the trade paperback will be on sale at the end of this month.

Finally, we come to the legacy edition, which will be released alongside the regular eBook, six months after the trade paperback.

Will I be able to continue my paperback collection?

In short, yes. While small mass-market paperback books are rapidly disappearing from shelves in favour of eBooks or more premium formats, we are committed to continuing the Horus Heresy in this style, so that all those fans who want to have a consistent look to their collection can do so.

If you have any further questions about this, please feel free to email us at contact@blacklibrary.com and we will do our best to answer them all.

So there you go!  I am a huge fan of this series and now collect both the hardcover collectors editions (I am a bit of a book collector as it is) and then the small paperback, of which I have all of the series.  Yeah, you can complain that they are milking you, but frankly, I am willing to pay for these books as they are just that damn good.  And if you don't want to wait, buy the eBooks.  After all I want everythig on eBook myself someday.  I just wish the bundles were a better deal.

Loken