Author Archives: Michael Dodd

QUICK REVIEW : The Crystal of Fate – Guy Haley

The second week of Black Library’s 2015 Advent Calendar comes to a close with The Crystal of Fate by Guy Haley, which sees a Tzeentchian champion hoping to usurp the absent Kairos Fateweaver and ascend to daemonhood. Determined to take back his domain from the invading Stormcasts, Duke Phostrin strikes a pact with the sorcerer Chalix to venture into the realm of Tzeentch himself and take ownership of the titular Crystal of Fate. Can he survive long enough to reach his goal, and will it give him everything he hopes?
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QUICK REVIEW : A Song for the Lost – Robbie MacNiven

It’s halfway to Christmas and time for the thirteenth story in the 2015 Black Library Advent Calendar – A Song for the Lost by Robbie MacNiven. Ulix, a young Ecclesiarchy novitiate, suffers under the harsh regime of his zealous bishop, taking refuge in the comfort provided by the mysterious Sister D’Fey. While his fellow novitiates shy away in fear he seeks out her company in the darkness, unwittingly ingratiating himself with something far beyond what he realises. The innocent actions of a young boy prove to have far reaching consequences, for Ulix and the Imperium at large.
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QUICK REVIEW : The Prodigal – David Annandale

David Annandale joins the party with the twelfth story in Black Library’s 2015 Advent Calendar, contributing The Prodigal, an Age of Sigmar micro short which sees another champion of Chaos causing trouble in the realm of Light. Hidden within almost-impenetrable mountains and suspended above the ground by light itself, the city of Lykerna is a sanctuary from the darkness until Graunos, a fallen son of the city, returns at the head of an army of Khorne to take vengeance in the name of his god for perceived past mistreatments.
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QUICK REVIEW : Black Iron – Graeme Lyon

Day eleven in Black Library’s 2015 Advent Calendar sees the second Iron Warriors story in short order, in the shape of Graeme Lyon’s Black Iron. Warsmith Kallus, tired of standing as castellan on his legion’s home planet Medrengard, approaches Abaddon the Despoiler with a view to selling his to the Black Legion in exchange for a chance of action and greater glory. Sent on a mission to capture an Iron Warriors-held forge world in the name of his new legion, he leads his warband against his former brothers without second thought.
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QUICK REVIEW : The Last Gift – Josh Reynolds

It’s Chaos versus Chaos in The Last Gift by Josh Reynolds, the tenth short story in Black Library’s 2015 Advent Calendar series. Ompallious Zeyros, champion of Tzeentch and strong contender for most bonkers name of the year, leads his followers against the plague-ridden defenders of a Nurgle fortress as he hunts down an old friend. Once as close as brothers, he and the scarcely less impressively named Ephraim Bollos took different paths and embraced opposing powers, and finally they come together for a final showdown
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QUICK REVIEW : Siegemaster – Chris Wraight

Day Nine of Black Library’s 2015 Advent Calendar returns to 40K and sees the first involvement of the Iron Warriors, with Siegemaster by Chris Wraight. Warsmith Bakulos journeys through the bleak, battle-wracked world of Harrowar in search of an absent lieutenant, seeking answers to why the war is still unfinished despite all the precious resources that have been expended. As he searches through endless siegeworks he reflects on his history with the absentee Iron Warrior, looking back at battles fought long ago.
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QUICK REVIEW : Daemon of the Deep – Rob Sanders

Eight days into Black Library’s 2015 Advent Calendar and it’s Rob Sanders’ second contribution, with the Age of Sigmar short story Daemon of the Deep. Set in the idyllic, utopian kingdom of Ersatz Island, when the ruling Sheldrac family make an alliance with a neighbouring kingdom they ruthlessly sacrifice the malformed Silas in an attempt to prove the purity of their line. Nominally done in the name of Sigmar, it’s an action that conceals a darker side to the perfection otherwise attained on Ersatz Island. Meanwhile Silas, abandoned and left for dead amongst the filth and detritus, turns to a different power to find his vengeance.
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QUICK REVIEW : Jackalwolf – CZ Dunn

Day seven in Black Library’s 2015 Advent Calendar gives us Jackalwolf by CZ Dunn, a Space Wolves micro-short story featuring Lukas the Trickster. With the Great Companies all absent from the Fang, Fenris’ defences are left in the dubious hands of Lukas, his undoubted skill enough to overcome his lowly status and grant him stewardship of the Fang. When Word Bearers appear in-system to threaten the realm of the Wolves, Lukas has to rely upon his wits to defend against an overwhelming force.
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QUICK REVIEW : The Gift of Khorne – Guy Haley

Day six in Black Library’s 2015 Advent Calendar brings us The Gift of Khorne by Guy Haley, an Age of Sigmar story featuring another powerful Chaos champion (there’s a trend appearing here…), this time the more-beast-than-man Gigante. Besieging a still-intact city in the realm of life, Ghyran, he revels in his god-granted gifts and the carnage that he wreaks in the name of Khorne. Gifts from the Chaos gods tend to be a little risky however, so he had better hope that nothing puts a stop to his successes, like the unexpected appearance of the Stormcast Eternals…
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QUICK REVIEW : Gift of the Gods – Ben Counter

The fifth 2015 Advent Calendar story from Black Library, Ben Counter’s Gift of the Gods features the disgraced, exiled Chaos Lord Antonidas Hajos of the Dire Claws, abandoned on feudal jungle world after leading a failed coup within this chapter. Accompanied by a handful of his warriors and driven on by anger and pride, he sets out to turn the locals to the worship of the chaos gods, undertaking a series of tasks to prove his worth. The question remains though, will this be enough to set him on the path to revenge and glory? Keep reading…