Category Archives: Books

Kingsblade – Andy Clark

In his debut novel Kingsblade, Andy Clark gives us the first full Black Library novel focused on the mighty Imperial Knights. When the world of Donatos falls prey to the machinations of the Word Bearers, led by Dark Apostle Varakh’Lorr, the Knightly Houses of Adrastapol are in the forefront of the Imperial response. Young and untested, two newly-raised Knights join their Houses in battle, keen to step out from under the lengthy shadows of their highborn fathers. When disaster strikes though, they have to shoulder unexpected burdens if they are to survive and find victory.

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Roboute Guilliman: Lord of Ultramar – David Annandale (The Primarchs Book One)

The first in what will eventually be a series of eighteen short novels, David Annandale’s Roboute Guilliman: Lord of Ultramar kicks The Horus Heresy – The Primarchs off with a look at the XIIIth Legion…the Ultramarines. Set during the Great Crusade this isn’t an origin story for Guilliman, instead it sees him leading his legion against the final remnants of an ork empire on the planet Thoas. Determined to honour the legacy of its original human inhabitants, he commits his legion to battle even while he makes moves internally to shake things up and remind some of his sons of the legion’s identity.

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Corax: Soulforge – Gav Thorpe

First published in 2013, Gav Thorpe’s Corax: Soulforge was the fourth Limited Edition novella to be released in the Horus Heresy series. Set after the events of Deliverance Lost it sees Corax and the Raven Guard fighting their shadow war, determined to be a thorn in the side of the forces of Horus. After learning that Word Bearers are working alongside the Mechanicum overlords of the forge world Constanix II, Corax leads part of his legion to investigate and deal with whatever the XVIIth are planning. Meanwhile Commander Agapito continues to wrestle with his emotions after the horrors of Isstvan V.

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Silver Skulls: Portents – SP Cawkwell

Sarah Cawkwell’s Silver Skulls: Portents is her second novel featuring the Silver Skulls chapter of Space Marines (after The Gildar Rift), and features characters who have previously shown up in various short stories. The main protagonist is Sergeant Gileas Ur’ten, considered something of a rogue element by his superiors as a result of his fiery temper and unusual heritage, who leads his squad into battle against the archenemy on Valoria Quintus at the behest of the chapter’s Prognosticators. With the Inquisition involved in the mission however, there’s more at stake than just Gileas’ place in the chapter.

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Warden of the Blade – David Annandale

David Annandale’s Warden of the Blade is the first novel in a new trilogy from Black Library featuring Castellan Crowe of the Grey Knights, beginning the series by showing how Garran Crowe came to wield the Black Blade of Antwyr. The Grey Knights are sent to Sandava II to prevent or halt a daemonic incursion, Crowe and his fellow Purifiers following the then-Castellan Gavallan in the righteous prosecution of a daemonic plague afflicting the once-loyal world. Forced to battle both the daemons and the insidious power of the blade, Crowe and Gavallan lead their brothers into a battle only the strongest and purest could hope to survive.

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The Red Path – Chris Dows

Also available as eight individual eshorts, The Red Path is Chris Dows’ first full novel for Black Library after a raft of White Scars and Imperial Guard short stories. Its focus is on Khârn the Betrayer, tying in with the new miniature and the current 13th Black Crusade story arc, as Abaddon the Despoiler dispatches one of his lieutenants to find Khârn and bring him back to the Warmaster. Meanwhile a living saint of the Imperium is returning to the planet Salandraxis after campaigning near the Eye of Terror, while Khârn himself is merrily taking skulls with his warband.

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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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Shoe Dog – Phil Knight

Distance runner, backpacker, entrepreneur, leader, father, philanthropist – Phil Knight is, or has been, all of these, and his memoir Shoe Dog offers an honest and insightful depiction of his journey from college graduate to CEO of Nike. It’s the personal, human story of a man who’s deeply driven, plagued by doubts but utterly determined not to lose. It’s a potted history of one of the most famous brands in the world, from humble beginnings to vast multinational. It’s a fascinating journey through mid to late twentieth century America, and an inspiring (if occasionally terrifying) demonstration of how a business can maintain its values through thick and thin.
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The Beheading – Guy Haley (The Beast Arises Book Twelve)

This is the final book in the series, so beware – if you haven’t read all of the other eleven books, there may be spoilers ahead…

Black Library’s The Beast Arises series comes to an end with book twelve, Guy Haley’s The Beheading. After the heroics of Shadow of Ullanor the Imperium is still reeling and in need of leadership, but the High Lords of Terra have proved themselves unequal to the task. Elsewhere First Captain Zerberyn and Warsmith Kalkator are still battling against the orks, while back on Terra, Inquisitors Wienand and Veritus are laying plans against the ambitions of Grand Master Vangorich. All the while, Chapter Master Thane of the reformed Imperial Fists seems the obvious candidate to lead the Imperium forward…
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Sons of Titan – David Annandale

A compilation of four Grey Knights stories, David Annandale’s Sons of Titan tells a single story over four different tales, all featuring Justicar Styer. It combines together the previously-released novella Maledictus and the prose versions of two audio dramas (Incorruptible and True Name) along with a short story currently only available in this book (The Mourning Tower). Set in and around the Sanctus Reach system, and tying loosely in with other stories set therein, it sees Styer leading his men alongside Inquisitor Furia, following the strands of fate to try and put a stop to worryingly vague daemonic threats.
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