Author Archives: Michael

RAPID FIRE: John French Talks The Horusian Wars: Incarnation

Welcome to this instalment of Rapid Fire, my ongoing series of quick interviews with Black Library authors talking about their new releases. These are short and sweet interviews, with the idea being that each author will answer (more or less) the same questions – by the end of each interview I hope you will have a good idea of what the new book (or audio drama) is about, what inspired it and why you might want to read or listen to it.

In this instalment I spoke to John French about The Horusian Wars: Incarnation, the second in his Horusian Wars series, which is available to order right now.

Keep reading…

QUICK REVIEW: Elucidium – Simon Spurrier

Published in 2004’s long out of print anthology What Price Victory and strangely never subsequently reprinted, Simon Spurrier’s short story Elucidium offers a chilling, complex exploration of a Genestealer Cult secreted at the heart of an Imperial world. When the sinister Cardinal Arkannis arrives on Garial-Fall, the structures and certainties underpinning the world begin to change, from the heights of the ruling Plureaucracy to the depths of the long-hidden Underchurch. For G’Hait, the Cardinal’s arrival turns his entire world upside down and challenges everything he thought he knew, about himself and his place in the world.

Keep reading…

QUICK REVIEW: Altar of Cyrene – Lucien Soulban

A Blood Ravens short story featuring Captain Gabriel Angelos, Lucien Soulban’s Altar of Cyrene was first published in Inferno! magazine before getting a digital release under the ‘Tales From the Archive’ label. As the once-loyal world of Cyrene reels beneath an Imperial bombardment, and the Blood Ravens do their duty in stamping out heresy where they find it, Gabriel Angels hunts for a single man. Accompanied only by a trusted brother, he searches for answers in the dust and ash of the dying world, even as the bombardments creep ever closer.

Keep reading…

Jaghatai Khan: Warhawk of Chogoris – Chris Wraight

Chris Wraight’s novel Jaghatai Khan: Warhawk of Chogoris – the eighth in the Primarchs series – is unusual amongst the series in that it’s essentially a direct prequel to his main-range Horus Heresy stories. Told across several short arcs spanning years of the Great Crusade, the emphasis is on Jaghatai’s and his Legion’s determination to go their own way and retain their unique identity. Even while battling orks in the run up to Ullanor, and slowly being dragged into the debate around the use of psykers in the Legions, Jaghatai wrestles with his instinct to avoid the politics of the changing Imperium.

Keep reading…

RAPID FIRE: Matthew Farrer Talks Enforcer: The Shira Calpurnia Omnibus

Welcome to this instalment of Rapid Fire, my ongoing series of quick interviews with Black Library authors talking about their new releases. These are short and sweet interviews, with the idea being that each author will answer (more or less) the same questions – by the end of each interview I hope you will have a good idea of what the new book (or audio drama) is about, what inspired it and why you might want to read or listen to it.

In this instalment I spoke to Matthew Farrer about his fantastic Shira Calpurnia series, which is available to order right now in a newly-reprinted version of Enforcer: The Shira Calpurnia Omnibus.

Continue reading

RAPID FIRE: David Annandale Talks Vulkan: Lord of Drakes

Welcome to this instalment of Rapid Fire, my ongoing series of quick interviews with Black Library authors talking about their new releases. These are short and sweet interviews, with the idea being that each author will answer (more or less) the same questions – by the end of each interview I hope you will have a good idea of what the new book (or audio drama) is about, what inspired it and why you might want to read or listen to it.

In this instalment I spoke to David Annandale about his latest Horus Heresy Primarchs novel Vulkan: Lord of Drakes, which is available to order in limited edition hardback format right now!

Keep reading…

War of Secrets – Phil Kelly

The third instalment of the Space Marine Conquests series, War of Secrets sees Phil Kelly explore the integration of Primaris Marines into the ever-secretive, antagonistic Dark Angels Chapter. In battle against the t’au on the industrial world of Saltire Vex, Lieutenant Xedro Farren and his Primaris brothers find the Dark Angels under Interrogator-Chaplain Zaeroph to be less than welcoming. It’s not long before Farren sees hints of an ulterior mission and another shadowy enemy, whom Zaeroph will do anything to catch. Meanwhile within the ranks of the t’au a separate conflict is brewing, and loyalties on both sides are questioned.

Keep reading…

Soul Wars – Josh Reynolds

Josh Reynolds’ seventh (!) Age of Sigmar novel, Soul Wars sees the Mortal Realms take a darker turn, as the dead begin to rise in horrifying numbers all across the Realms. In the Realm of Shyish, the Free City of Glymmsforge is under the protection of the Anvils of the Heldenhammer, but as Nagash grows bolder Sigmar reinforces the city with warriors from the secretive Sacrosanct Chambers. For Lord Arcanum Balthus Arum, the deployment to Shyish is an opportunity to atone for a mistake, but even his prodigious powers are tested by the Nighthaunt hordes flocking to Glymmsforge.

Keep reading…

Black Library Weekly – W/C 02/07/18

Hello and welcome to the latest instalment of Black Library Weekly, my regular look at what’s been happening in the world of Black Library. After a couple of relatively quiet weeks, this time around it’s been all go with cool new releases, some intriguing news and another month’s worth of newly-announced titles. Let’s get straight into it…

Keep reading…