Author Archives: Michael

The Ingenious – Darius Hinks

This was first posted on the British Fantasy Society website. Click here to check out more fantasy, sci-fi and horror reviews. Many thanks to Angry Robot for an advance copy in exchange for this review.

A wild, imaginative original fantasy story from Darius Hinks, The Ingenious is a tale of political exiles surviving in the slums of a grand, magic-imbued city and a reluctant figurehead struggling to come to terms with her fate. It’s a story about power – how it’s found and seized, and what it can do to someone – and control, about inequality and injustice, and about magic, drug abuse and gang warfare. It’s a book crammed full of bold ideas, and it’s the sort of story which requires the reader to jump in and trust that it’ll all make sense in the end.

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The Black Library ‘Coming Soon’ Page – Gone But Not Forgotten?

Back in October 2016 I published this article commenting on how exciting it felt after a long time with zero information about new releases to finally have a Coming Soon page on the Black Library website – a place where fans like me could find out about new books and audios due for release in the following months. Just under two and a half years later the Coming Soon page quietly disappeared, much to the disappointment – in some cases vociferous – of many BL fans. Now the dust has settled I want to have a look at what happened, what’s been said since, and what the future looks like for finding out about new BL releases.

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QUICK REVIEW: Obsidian – David Annandale

Obsidian is available as either a standalone e-short or featured within the Gods & Mortals short story anthology.

One of a growing number of Neferata stories exploring the political power structures of Nulahmia and the relationship the Mortarch of Blood has with her subjects, David Annandale’s Obsidian is a short but satisfying tale of two houses briefly united in unexpected love. When young lovers Karya Treveign and Evered Halorecht seek Neferata’s blessing for their union, it seems as though the ensuing wedding will bring the long conflict between their houses to a close. It remains to be seen, however, whether their love is as star-crossed and innocent as it appears, and how their families will behave during the wedding ceremony.

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Cadian Honour – Justin D. Hill

Justin D. Hill’s Cadian Honour – a sequel to 2017’s Cadia Stands but interestingly billed by Black Library as ‘Book 1 of the Cadian series’ – is an action-packed story of what life is like for the Cadian Shock Troops in the Dark Imperium. Burdened by the loss of Cadia and the disapproval of other Imperial forces, the remnants of the Cadian 101st are posted to Potence, capital world of the Gallows Cluster. As Chaos forces make worrying inroads into the system and peace on Potence is threatened, what should be an easy posting turns into a desperate defence against enemies within and without.

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QUICK REVIEW: Turn of the Adder – JC Stearns

This short story is featured in Inferno! Volume 2, which is out now.

For his second Black Library short story, Turn of the Adder, JC Stearns explores a little of the impact that the birth of Ynnead has had upon the drukhari. The wyches of the Jade Labyrinth have turned from the Kabal of the Bladed Lotus and sided with the Ynnari, much to the disgust of the Bladed Lotus’ Archon, K’Shaic, who leads an overwhelming assault against the Ynnari forces. Tasked with a key, if secondary, part of the attack, K’Shaic’s youngest son Naeddre sees an opportunity for advancement (in the drukhari fashion) but soon finds his entire worldview challenged by the Ynnari.

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Black Library Monthly – March 2019

Welcome to Black Library Monthly for March 2019, the latest in this series of articles where I take a look back at all the Black Library-related news and releases of the preceding month, as well as talk a little about what I’ve been reading and reviewing. March has been an interesting month for Black Library fans with some interesting news, a few major releases, and a little controversy, so there’s lots to talk about this time around. For the first time in 2019 I’ve actually got this roundup ready for the end of the month itself, rather than partway into the following month, so hopefully there’s plenty of interesting, relevant info to digest.

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Honourbound – Rachel Harrison

Rachel Harrison’s debut Black Library novel, Honourbound follows on from several excellent short stories and features Commissar Severina Raine serving with the 11th Antari Rifles as part of the decades-long Bale Stars Crusade. As Raine and the Antari grind their way to hard-fought victories over the chaos cult known as the Sighted, the stress of constant attritional warfare starts to show – even on the resolute Commissar. With the Sighted changing tactics and darkness forming within the Crusade, Raine knows that her faith and determination will be tested like never before as she wrestles with the implications of her past and the dangers of the present.

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QUICK REVIEW: Ties of Blood – Jamie Crisalli

This short story is featured in Inferno! Volume 2, which is out now.

The Black Library debut for Jamie Crisalli, Ties of Blood is an action-packed short story exploring the rivalry between the Chaos gods and their champions, and the fickle nature of loyalty for those who follow the dark gods. Slaanesh-worshipper Savrian’s devotion to his absent god(dess) is complete, and he risks his life to rescue his son, long thought lost, from the clutches of Khorne-worshipping warlord Chagorath. His plan is simple – infiltrate the Khornate fortress, find his son and leave with the savage warriors none the wiser. When things don’t quite go to plan, his faith is tested as much as his blade.

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Maledictions – a Warhammer Horror Anthology

One of the first releases for Black Library’s brand new Warhammer Horror imprint, Maledictions features eleven stories across both Warhammer 40,000 and Age of Sigmar which dig a little deeper than usual beneath the surface of the settings. There are contributions from a range of authors both familiar and new (to Black Library, at least), covering an expansive array of topics and characters, united by a focus on the more personal and less militaristic aspects of Warhammer fiction. From dense jungles to rural communities, enginseers to dryads, it’s a characterful and wide-ranging anthology packed full of strange, unsettling stories.

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RAPID FIRE: Alec Worley Talks Perdition’s Flame

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 Alec Worley about his new Warhammer Horror audio drama, Perdition’s Flame, which is available to order right now! It’s Alec’s first Black Library audio drama, and one of the first few Warhammer Horror releases to land, so I’m really excited about this one.

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