Media and Editions
Series titles are released in multiple versions: in print as paperbacks and hardcovers (with paperback editions printed in mass-market and trade formats); as e-books; and as either abridged or unabridged audiobooks and e‑audiobooks (respectively, in compact disc and audio file formats – the Black Library has partnered with specialist UK company Heavy Entertainment for audio production).
As of April 2013, print editions were generally between 400 and 500 pages, though some mass market versions have rendered in more; total series length in first paperback edition was about 10,600 print pages (24 titles). Digital editions ranged in size from less than a megabyte (some e‑book releases) to over a gigabyte (some e‑audiobook releases); the totals run from a low of about 10 MB (for 22 e-book titles, in EPUB format) to a high of about 11 GB (for 13 unabridged titles, in MP3 format). Durations of audio versions spread from about 6 hours for the abridged editions to anywhere between 11 and 19 hours for the unabridged editions; the total length of the unabridged edition was about 168 hours, divided among 13 titles. CD audiobooks were published in packages of 5 discs per abridged title; two unabridged titles were available on CD, with the longest packaged in 13 discs.
Outside the UK, series titles are published in several countries and languages by Black Library divisions or as co-editions with local associates. As of April 2013, other-language renditions lagged the English-language series in the number of released titles, and had followed distinct publication schedules and release sequences. Also as of April 2013, editions in other languages were published in paperback and e‑book formats.
Starting November 2010, new titles have often been released simultaneously in multiple media; occasionally since then, new titles' digital or audio releases have preceded the print versions, in reverse of previous practice (see table "Published" above). Stories in series compilations have also been published individually, as e‑books, and as MP3 or CD "audio shorts".
Series stories have appeared in whole or in part in other Black Library publications, sometimes before the corresponding series books have become generally available; prepublications have included stand-alone releases of compilation stories. "Prerelease" copies of series volumes have been regularly offered months before official publication, in Games Workshop- and Black Library‑sponsored events such as the various Games Days.
There have been a number of special editions and bundles published in a variety of media; bundles have included the "Horus Heresy Collections", which mix editions and media of the same or different titles. In concert with established industry practice, certain special editions are available in limited distribution months before the release of the corresponding regular, or wider-release, versions.
The books' cover art has been separately released, in poster and other formats. Series bundles and special offers have also contained the separate artwork releases of the included titles.
Read more about this topic: Horus Heresy (novels)
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