"Mephiston: Lord of Death" and "Yarrick: Chains of Golgotha"

Two fancy new releases form Black library announced over the past couple of days.

Number One - Mephiston: Lord of Death

Firstly the latest in the Black Library Limited Edition/Collectors Novella category “Mephison: Lord of Death” written by David Annandale. 

Updated with picture released 23/01/13:

This is another “limited time novella”, available for one week only from the 25^th January to the 1^st February exclusively from the Black Library website. It describes itself as the first novella in the “lords of the Space Marines” series and is about Blood Angels Librarian Mephiston. Heres the blurb:

Chief Librarian of the Blood Angels, Master of the Black Rage, Lord of Death... By these titles is Mephiston known to his brother Space Marines. But deep within Mephiston’s tortured heart lurks another, the spectre of who he used to be before his death and rebirth on the war-torn world of Armageddon.  As Mephiston leads the Blood Angels into battle in the Pallavon system against the might of mankind’s archenemy, he must grapple with his inner daemons as well as those around him, as the ghost of Brother Calistarius, the man he once was, returns to haunt him.

And the video:

 So what do you get for your £35?

·         128 page hardback novella

·         Signed and numbered

·         Internal full colour artwork

·         Red leather effect Slip-case

·         Exclusive chapbook entitled “Eclipse of Hope” also by David Annandale (previously an eShort)

·         Artwork postcard of the cover art

As I’ve mentioned before, there has been a degree of controversy and contention surrounding these expensive collector’s edition books, usually saying that 1) They’re far too expensive for a 128 page novella and/or 2) They’re denying readers access to some of their stories by only releasing some of them as these very expensive offerings.

As a book collector, almost more than a reader, I have really fallen in love with the limited edition release and can forgive the high price especially since the RRP of a new hardback these days can be up to £25 anyway. So long as these continue to be of high quality and desirability I’m going to continue to be a fan and if all you want is the story, buy the eBook for £3.50 when it comes out.

As for the increase in price to £35 up from £30, two points, they were charging £30 back in 2010 for Iron Warrior, so I don’t think this rise is too much to stomach and secondly, It comes with a Slip-case, and another small chapbook, which none of the other releases have done, save The Bloody Handed (it included a chapbook).

Number Two: Yarrick: Chains of Golgotha

The second new product is Yarrick: Chains of Golgotha, also written by David Annandale. 

This is the latest and I believe second in the Black Library premium hardback novellas “Flesh of Cretacia” by Andy Smillie being the first. These are not to be confused with the premium collectors/limited edition novellas. These premium hardback novellas command a price of £12 and are hardback without a dust jacket and are unsigned or unnumbered and not limited edition; they are basically a hardback 128 page story, they do however contain a colour map section.

Here’s the blurb:

From the ashes of the Second War of Armageddon a hero of the Imperium emerged. War-torn and bloody, Commissar Yarrick swore vengeance on the beast that escaped his righteous wrath, the despoiler of Armageddon - Ghazghkull Thraka. Tracking down the ork warlord to the desolate world of Golgotha, Yarrick leads an armoured company to destroy the beast but does not reckon on Thraka's cunning. Ambushed, his army all-but destroyed, Yarrick is captured and awakes to find himself aboard the beast's space hulk facing a fate worse than death...

 I just want to say that I am stoked for both of these, although especially Mephiston: Lord of Death, bring on the 25th January!

David Annandale has written four short stories for Black Library in the past:

The Vorago Fastness in the “Xenos Hunters” anthology

The Carrion Anthem in the “Treacheries of the Space Marines” anthology

Eclipse of Hope (eShort)

Evil Eye (eShort)