Category Archives: Black Library

Black Library Weekly – W/C 05/12/16

Hello and welcome to another instalment of Black Library Weekly, where I take a look at the Black Library-related news from the week just gone – announcements, pre-orders and new releases.

Advent is rolling on this week, with a full set of seven stories released one per day, although it’s not just been short stories that have seen the light of day. The weekend saw all manner of titles released or announced, including the expected refresh of the Coming Soon section on Black Library’s website, and overall it’s been another impressive week!

Instead of the usual structure, I’m going to take a look at all of the week’s Advent Calendar content first, then move on to the rest of the news and releases. So without further ado…
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QUICK REVIEW: The Soul, Severed – Chris Wraight

On the ninth day of Black Library’s 2016 Advent Calendar we get another Horus Heresy audio drama, Chris Wraight’s The Soul, Severed, which sees Lord Commander Eidolon of the Emperor’s Children, much-altered since his first appearance in Horus Rising, leading part of his Legion in Fulgrim’s absence. Warped and twisted in the likeness of their commander, Eidolon’s warriors – the Kakophoni – are a powerful force indeed. When faced with opposition from a fellow officer as to the leadership of the Legion, Eidolon unleashes the Kakophoni to spectacular, if unexpected, effect against his fellow Emperor’s Children.
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QUICK REVIEW: Wraithbound – JC Stearns

The eldar arrive on day eight of Black Library’s 2016 Advent Calendar in Wraithbound by JC Stearns, in which a combined force of craftworld and corsair eldar make a daring webway assault onto an Imperial world that’s been overrun by orks. Among the first wave is Crimson Hunter pilot Seoci, firmly on the path of the hunter but not yet lost to it. Donning his war mask as he goes into battle, he pushes aside thoughts of his previous path until his past comes back to haunt him when his craftworld’s wraith constructs take to the field.
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QUICK REVIEW: The Grey Raven – Gav Thorpe

Day seven of Black Library’s 2016 Advent Calendar features The Grey Raven, the first of two Horus Heresy Raven Guard stories from Gav Thorpe. Closely linked to the novella Weregeld (part of Corax, book 40 in the numbered series) it picks up the story of Balsar Kurthuri, Chief Librarian of the Raven Guard, as he returns to Terra to face the Sigillite’s judgement having broken the Edict of Nikaea. Accompanied by the rest of the ‘Long Shadows’, those who Corax couldn’t or wouldn’t count on, he finds little in the way of welcome from the defenders of the Sol system.
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QUICK REVIEW: Fixed – Robbie MacNiven

Fixed by Robbie MacNiven is the sixth story in Black Library’s 2016 Advent Calendar, and the first of three Blood Bowl escapades. When Nordland Raiders star blitzer Greig Garr undergoes unorthodox surgery after suffering a potentially career-ending injury, he’s approached by a decidedly shady character who offers to have him back on his feet in no time…for a price. With the Raiders’ promotion to play for in a crucial match against arch rivals the East End Boyz, and his own career at stake, Garr is faced with a tricky decision to make.
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QUICK REVIEW: The Howling Ship – Josh Reynolds

Included in the Limited Edition hardback of Fabius Bile: Primogenitor, Josh Reynolds’ The Howling Ship sees Fabius launch a daring attack on the Black Ship Savonarola as it returns to Terra carrying amongst its cargo of psykers a particularly nasty specimen known as The Howling Man. As the crew work to fight off the void assault, Inquisitor Borja races to where The Howling Man is being held, determined to use any means necessary to prevent the psyker being taken. Faced by the Butcher of Terra however, all of his certainties are challenged and his willpower tested to the limit.
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Fabius Bile: Primogenitor – Josh Reynolds

From the prolific pen of Josh Reynolds comes Fabius Bile: Primogenitor, the first in a new series from Black Library featuring the Chief Apothecary of the Emperor’s Children. Exiled from his Legion, loathed and feared in equal measure, his goal is nothing less than to ensure the future of humanity…in his image. Hidden away on the dead Crone World of Urum, surrounded by the horrifying results of his endless experiments, Fabius diligently works away while his body rots around him. It takes the most tempting of targets for him to leave his work behind and rouse himself to war once more.
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QUICK REVIEW: The Calculus of Battle – David Guymer

For day five of Black Library’s 2016 Advent Calendar it’s the turn of the Iron Hands, in a 40k audio drama by David Guymer – The Calculus of Battle. Viewing an Imperial world besieged by tyranids through the Iron Hands’ cold logic, Warleader Kardan Stronos weighs up the conflicting costs and benefits of intervening – does the potential cost in materiel usage and possible loss of Iron Hands life outweigh the benefits of evacuating even a tiny proportion of the planet’s 7 billion inhabitants? Constantly shifting with every action he takes, the battle calculus drives his decisions and determines whether the world lives or dies.
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QUICK REVIEW: Argent – Chris Wraight

Originally released as part of the event-only Black Library Live! 2016 chapbook alongside A Memory of Tharsis by Josh Reynolds, Chris Wraight’s Argent is an Inquisition short story that links in with his excellent novel Vaults of Terra: The Carrion Throne. In it, Interrogator Luce Spinoza tells a tale of joining the Imperial Fists in an assault on a traitor-held hive, during which her perception of the Angels of Death is profoundly affected. Fighting alongside the Fists as part of a wider mission to cleanse the hive, she faces both the horror of corruption and the ferocity of the Space Marines’ ardent faith.
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QUICK REVIEW: A Memory of Tharsis – Josh Reynolds

Currently only published in the Black Library Live! 2016 chapbook (alongside Argent by Chris Wraight), Josh Reynolds’ short story A Memory of Tharsis sees Fabius Bile paying a visit to Lady Spohr, Magos-Queen of the forge world Quir, to make a trade. He needs her services to repair his ancient medicae equipment in order for him to continue his grand work, but if he’s to succeed he knows he will have to offer her something new and unique. If he fails to provide something suitable he might not survive the visit, but he has something up his (rather disturbing) sleeve.
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