Author Archives: Michael

Black Library Advent Calendar 2017

Nothing says Christmas like twenty-four days of Warhammer fiction, right? It’s become a Black Library tradition over the past few years to offer an Advent Calendar comprising of short stories and audio dramas, with a new tale revealed each day in the run-up to Christmas Day, and this year is no different. Over the course of Advent we’re going to be able to get our hands on fourteen short stories and ten short audio dramas, across 40k, the Horus Heresy (including The Primarchs) and Age of Sigmar – including the first pieces of Shadespire fiction!

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RAPID FIRE: Dan Abnett Talks The Warmaster

Welcome to this instalment of Rapid Fire, my ongoing series of quick interviews with Black Library authors talking about their 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 it.

In this instalment I spoke to legendary Black Library author Dan Abnett about his new novel The Warmaster, the long-awaited fourteenth novel in the Gaunt’s Ghosts series, which is available to buy now.

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Salvation’s Reach – Dan Abnett

Following closely on from Blood Pact, Dan Abnett’s 2011 novel Salvation’s Reach is book thirteen in the Gaunt’s Ghosts series, and part two of The Victory. After their two-year stint cooling their heels on Balhaut, the Tanith First and Only are shipping out for their next mission, a task considered so suicidally dangerous the details are only revealed en-route. Aboard the battered, ancient ship the Highness Ser Armaduke and guided by unproven insider intelligence, the Ghosts make for remote Chaos outpost Salvation’s Reach where even their specialist skills will be sorely tested if they hope to succeed…and survive.

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Blood Pact – Dan Abnett

Dan Abnett’s twelfth Gaunt’s Ghosts novel, Blood Pact kicks off the fourth arc in the series, known as The Victory. Set two years after their last mission on Jago, the Ghosts have spent the last year stationed on Balhaut, the site of the Sabbat Crusade’s greatest victory. While the regiment grows increasingly bored and complacent, Gaunt worries that he’s been sidelined for good. When a high-ranking enemy prisoner insists on speaking only to Gaunt, however, he’s dragged back into intrigue and danger in a way he couldn’t have expected, on a world freighted with memories.

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QUICK REVIEW: Killbox – Dan Abnett

A follow-up short story to Salvation’s Reach, book thirteen in Dan Abnett’s Gaunt’s Ghosts series, Killbox sees Scout Sergeant Mkoll of the Tanith First and Only prowling the quiet, forgotten depths of the Highness Ser Armaduke. Down amongst the dust and the punishing heat, something is tracking him…hunting him. Even among the stealth specialist Ghosts, however, Mkoll is a peerless huntsman, and knows better than any the relationship between hunter and hunted. In the forgotten darkness of the old ship, a game of cat and mouse develops.

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Honour Guard – Dan Abnett

Published just two years after the start of the series, Dan Abnett’s Honour Guard is the fourth Gaunt’s Ghosts book, and kicks off the second arc within the series – The Saint. Set on the shrineworld Hagia, birthplace of Saint Sabbat, it sees Gaunt tasked with leading the Imperial liberation efforts, which soon go horribly wrong. With his career in tatters and Chaos reinforcements inbound, he’s sent on a desperate mission to save the most important of the world’s holy relics – the body of the Saint herself – and reclaim some small measure of personal glory.

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The Devastation of Baal – Guy Haley

The first novel in the brand new Space Marine Conquests series, Guy Haley’s The Devastation of Baal continues the story set out in Dante and brings the Blood Angels bang up to date with the new 40k background. As Hive Fleet Leviathan heads inexorably towards Baal, Commander Dante calls to the Chapters of the Blood, and the Blood Angels successor Chapters answer in force. Tens of thousands of Space Marines stand in defence of Baal against the untold trillions of the Leviathan. In context of the wider galaxy, however, Leviathan isn’t the only threat that the sons of Sanguinius face.

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Black Library Weekly – W/C 20/11/17

Hello and welcome to another instalment of Black Library Weekly, my regular look at what’s been happening in the world of Black Library. It’s the week after the Weekender and I’m still buzzing from all the excitement back in Nottingham, which has even continued on by way of Warhammer Community. Don’t worry though, there’s more to talk about than just the Weekender – although if you’re enjoying the awesome image at the top of this article then you’ll be pleased to know that ALSO came out of the Weekender. I’ll stop talking about that eventually, I promise…

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Black Library Weekender 2017 – Roundup

It’s been three years since the last one, but the weekend of the 18th/19th November 2017 saw the triumphant return of the Black Library Weekender. I’m sure there will have already been plenty of write-ups after the event, but I thought I’d take a quick look at some of the highlights from my perspective. I say ‘quick look’, but if I know anything I know my tendency to ramble…so apologies in advance for when this turns into something ridiculously long. That being said, I’m going to try and keep it to highlights, rather than a blow by blow recreation of the weekend!

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Old Earth – Nick Kyme

Nick Kyme’s third full-length Horus Heresy novel, Old Earth is book 47 (!) in the series, and the third and final book in the Salamanders arc that began with Vulkan Lives. If you haven’t yet read Deathfire, be warned – spoilers abound. The main thrust of the novel is the journey from Nocturne to Terra made by the reborn Vulkan, accompanied by just three Salamanders, his Draaksward. Meanwhile Shadrak Meduson tries to hold his Shattered Legions together in the fight against the Sons of Horus, while Eldrad Ulthran pulls strings (as usual) working towards his own hidden goals.

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