Category Archives: Black Library

Getting Started With Black Library: Age of Sigmar

A few people have recently asked me about where they should start with reading Black Library’s Age of Sigmar fiction, so I thought it might be worth putting together an article with my recommendations on the subject. In a similar vein to my Getting Started With Black Library – Warhammer 40,000 article, I should point out that these are my personal recommendations, and everyone’s mileage may very well vary, but bearing that in mind these are a few suggestions for where (and how) to get stuck into Age of Sigmar. I’ll link out to reviews where appropriate, but you can also have a look at the overall Age of Sigmar reviews page on Track of Words for a full list of everything I’ve read/listened to and reviewed.

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QUICK REVIEW: The Twisted Runes – Matt Smith

Matt Smith’s second Black Library short story, The Twisted Runes is a tale of the Silver Skulls and the unusual way in which they rely on and revere their powerful psykers. Having received a forceful vision promising dire portents for the entire Chapter, young and proud Prognosticator Beynan Rhondus petitions his masters for permission to track down the location seen in his vision and prevent a tragedy from occurring. Casting the runes once owned by his mentor, Rhondus interprets their meaning and leads his men into grave danger, always confident in the truth of the runes and his manifest destiny.

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Rise of the Ynnari: Ghost Warrior – Gav Thorpe

Gav Thorpe’s Ghost Warrior is the first book in the Rise of the Ynnari series detailing the exploits of Yvraine and her Ynnari, whose goal is to bring forth the aeldari god of the dead, Ynnead. When the Iyandeni are confronted with the return of the long-lost craftworld Zaisusthra, spiritseer Iyanna Arienal’s path intersects with Yvraine’s. Iyanden needs allies to survive, while the Ynnari see an opportunity to find and claim the last of the once-lost Croneswords, which they need to bring about the awakening of Ynnead. The question is, what does Zaisuthra want, and why has it returned now?

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Black Library Weekly – W/C 03/09/18

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. It’s been a pretty interesting week on the Black Library front, with plenty of releases – albeit nothing brand new – and some really interesting news, including lots of new additions to the roster of titles coming soon. Let’s have a look at what’s been going on (It’s quite a long article this week…).

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RAPID FIRE: Nick Kyme and Gav Thorpe Talk Masters of Stone and Steel

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.

For this instalment I’ve spoken with not just one but two Black Library authors – Nick Kyme and Gav Thorpe – to get the lowdown on the latest Warhammer Chronicles omnibus, Masters of Stone and Steel. Read on to delve back into the earlier days of the Old World, and then don’t forget to go out and grab your copy of the book, as it’s available to order right now.

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QUICK REVIEW: At Gaius Point – Aaron Dembski-Bowden

Aaron Dembski-Bowden’s Flesh Tearers short story At Gaius Point was originally published in the Legends of the Space Marines anthology, and is one of his earliest Black Library contributions. In the aftermath of a Thunderhawk crash in which most of his squad is killed, Zavien sets off through the jungles of Armageddon in pursuit of one brother who’s lost not to injury but to the Black Rage. If he can’t find and stop his brother, there’s no telling what damage might be done to the human defenders of Armageddon, and the already tarnished name of his Chapter.

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QUICK REVIEW: Thorn Wishes Talon – Dan Abnett

Dan Abnett’s short story Thorn Wishes Talon was first released as an audio drama, as part of the Thorn and Talon collection, before subsequently getting the prose treatment. Fans of Abnett’s Inquisition stories may understand the title’s reference from the off, but suffice to say it’s a story which sees Ravenor and his warband responding to a cryptic message which draws them into conflict with a shadowy cabal of twisted seers. As a storm builds and enemies close in, Ravenor meets with the message’s author to learn of a terrible danger that clearly someone doesn’t want him to know about.

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QUICK REVIEW: Hidden Depths – Sandy Mitchell

A rare non-Ciaphas Cain short story from Sandy Mitchell, Hidden Depths is nevertheless linked to the Cain series by virtue of featuring the virtuous Commissar’s chronicler, Inquisitor Amberley Vail. On the hunt for smugglers in xenos technology on the hive world of Ironfound, Vail and her warband find a trail leading from the spire top to the deepest underhive. As their search takes them ever deeper they’re forced to contend with the many indigenous peoples and perils of the underhive, as a secret of Ironfound’s past is gradually revealed.

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Ravenor – Dan Abnett

The first book in Dan Abnett’s second Inquisition trilogy, Ravenor is another stone-cold Black Library classic, a smart and hugely enjoyable story in its own right but also a neat continuation of characters familiar to anyone who’s read the Eisenhorn trilogy. Set some time after his reappearance towards the end of Hereticus, it sees Gideon Ravenor – now a full inquisitor in his own right – and his entourage on Eustis Majoris, investigating the illicit trade of a strange narcotic. As they unravel the mystery of what this drug is and where it comes from, the scale of what’s really happening is revealed to be bigger than they could have possibly expected.

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Black Library Weekly – W/C 27/08/18

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 last week’s Summer of Reading campaign things have returned to normal with a handful of releases and just a snifter of news during the week, although with tickets going on sale for the 2018 Weekender there’s lots to look forward to!

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