Category Archives: Reviews

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…

QUICK REVIEW : By The Horns – Rob Sanders

Black Library’s 2015 Advent Calendar continues apace, returning to the Age of Sigmar for the fourth short story with Rob Sanders’ By The Horns. It follows Chrysaor The Wanton, a Slaaneshi warlord leading his tribe to glory in the unstable terrain of The Plinth. We watch through his senses (not his eyes…he doesn’t have those) as he and his warband slake their thirsts on weak prey, but when the Stormcasts approach he realises that he may have made a terrible mistake.
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QUICK REVIEW : In Wolves’ Clothing – Ian St. Martin

For the third story in Black Library’s 2015 Advent Calendar the action returns to the 40K universe with Ian St. Martin’s In Wolves’ Clothing, in which a pack of Space Wolves finally track down Lucius the Eternal on a daemon world deep in the Eye of Terror. Battling twisted cultists and the constantly shifting surface of the planet itself to bring Lucius to heel at last, pack leader Hrothgar leads his Wolves to a famous victory, but at what cost to their souls? Fans of 40K will know what happens next when Lucius meets his match…
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QUICK REVIEW : The Unending Storm – Nick Kyme

The second story in Black Library’s 2015 Advent Calendar, The Unending Storm is an Age of Sigmar short from Nick Kyme that’s written from the perspective of a champion of Chaos – Ghaar’ath, the Warson. Having led his warband to victory against a rival force he gets his first glimpse of the Stormcast Eternals, which sets him on a path to victory and glory in the eyes of his god, but also gives him an understanding of just why they’re called ‘Eternals’.
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QUICK REVIEW : Divine Will – Andy Smillie

The first story in Black Library’s 2015 Advent Calendar is Divine Will by Andy Smillie, a micro-short featuring a Vindicare assassin, an Inquisitor and an extremely risky trick shot. It takes place on the world of Drex, whose population has been swayed by a dangerous, heretic cult. To bring them back into line and re-instil the appropriate fear of the Emperor into them, Inquisitor Gerhart plans to make a public, visible demonstration of the Emperor’s divine will, but to do so he requires the particular skills of a master marksman.
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