Category Archives: Reviews

The Method of Madness – Peter McLean

Peter McLean’s first Black Library story to be set away from the Warhammer 40,000 universe, The Method of Madness – a fairly long short story, almost a novella really – is a Warcry story exploring the Cypher Lords and their subtle ways. In the Bloodwind Spoil of the Eightpoints, the bustling, stinking city of Carngrad is ruled over by a group of powerful warlords who maintain a brutal status quo. Considering himself a civilised man of politics, Thrallmaster Vignus Daneggia of the Cypher Lords sees in Carngrad’s hierarchy an opportunity for a scheme worthy of attracting the attention of Archaon himself.

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Highfire – Eoin Colfer

Best known for his Artemis Fowl novels for younger readers, with Highfire Eoin Colfer proves in no uncertain terms that his talents comfortably stretch to fantasy books for adults as well. Deep in the Louisiana bayou, Everett ‘Squib’ Moreau is trying hard to stay on the straight and narrow, but it’s not easy for a restless teenager, especially with the threat of the disturbing Constable Regence Hooke looming over him and his mum. When a potentially lucrative, albeit somewhat illicit, opportunity goes awry, Squib unexpectedly finds himself in the dangerous company of Vern, a foul-mouthed, bad tempered, vodka drinking dragon.

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Rogue – James Swallow

James Swallow’s excellent Marc Dane series continues to excite and entertain with its fifth instalment, Rogue, which sees the tenacious ex-MI6 operative caught up in a plot which threatens the survival of the Rubicon Group and its founder, Solomon Ekko. When a figure from his past emerges from the shadows to cause havoc, Dane and partner Lucy Keyes set out to uncover who it is and where they came from, stirring up old secrets along the way. As the mystery unravels it reveals attacks on Rubicon from within and without, uncovering yet more secrets and bearing the unmistakable hallmarks of the Combine.

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QUICK REVIEW: The Perfect Organism – CL Werner

CL Werner’s contribution to Aconyte Books’ Tales From the Crucible anthology is The Perfect Organism, which explores the warlike and scientific mindset of KeyForge’s martians. Convinced that they have created the ideal war machine, Elder Briilip unleashes the huge, artificially-engineered creature Number 647 into the desert of Nova Hellas, and pits it against the monster known as Tyrant. Briilip has a lot riding on Number 647’s success, especially with Elder Ghireen accompanying them as an official observer on behalf of the Prime Director, but watching the titanic clash from a safe distance, the martian scientist is utterly confident in their creation’s prowess.

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Goldilocks by Laura Lam – via the British Fantasy Society

I’ve got another review for you over at the British Fantasy Society website, this time for the brand new sci-fi thriller Goldilocks by Laura Lam, so named for the ‘Goldilocks Zone’, the region of space around a star in which human-habitable worlds might exist. I do love a good space travel story, although considering it largely takes place on a spaceship on its way to another planet, this one turned out to be unexpectedly relevant to current events taking place right now! As usual, you’re very welcome to go straight over to the BFS website if you’d like to just read the review, but I thought I’d talk a little bit more about the book here.

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QUICK REVIEW: Useful Parasites – MK Hutchins

MK Hutchins’ second short story (after The Librarian’s Duel) in Aconyte Books’ KeyForge anthology Tales From the Crucible, Useful Parasites is a tale of loneliness, gentle kindness and the importance of grieving. Juniper-kin treewalker Taryx lives a quiet life tending his garden and ministering to the wounded creatures of the forest, mourning the absence of an important friend and waiting for his grief to fade. When his latest patient turns out to be a strange part-cybernetic creature the likes of which he’s never encountered before, he sees an opportunity to put his loneliness aside, but worries things aren’t all they seem with his patient.

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Flyaway by Kathleen Jennings – via Grimdark Magazine

I’m very pleased to have another book review published on the Grimdark Magazine website – this time I’ve reviewed a fantastic horror novella called Flyaway, by Australian author Kathleen Jennings and published by Tor.com. If you just want to check out my review, head over to the Grimdark Magazine website right here and have a read – as usual, I’ve tried to keep the review concise, spoiler-free and as objective as I can be. If, however, you’re up for reading a few more of my thoughts on the book, from a somewhat more subjective angle, then by all means read on!

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QUICK REVIEW: The Death of Uriel Ventris – Graham McNeill

Graham McNeill’s provocatively-titled short story The Death of Uriel Ventris, available in Warriors and Warlords or the Black Library Events Anthology 2018/19, revisits a much-loved Black Library hero in a thoughtful, action-light story of consequences and change. As Uriel Ventris lies dying, the Captain of the Ultramarines 4th Company finds his mind disassociating, and he relives – in a way – the pain and suffering that forged him into the Space Marine he would eventually become. Unaware of what’s happening to his physical body, he’s tested in spirit by not just physical and emotional pain but also the manifestation of his greatest fears.

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QUICK REVIEW: Unification – Chris Wraight

Chris Wraight’s short story Unification, available in the special edition hardback of The Lords of Silence or the Warriors and Warlords anthology, shows Vorx of the Death Guard – main protagonist of The Lords of Silence – in various earlier incarnations, sort of ‘Vorx through the ages’. When the Death Guard fight alongside Blood Angels in a pre-Heresy compliance, Blood Angels captain Camanio offers Vorx an insult that leaves him speechless. As Vorx recalls his youth on Barbarus fighting by his primarch’s side, the gravity of Camanio’s insult – what it means to the Death Guard – becomes clear. Much later, so too do the consequences.

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Inferno! Volume 5 – Black Library Anthology

After the name was resurrected by Black Library in 2018 for an ongoing series of short story anthologies (as opposed to the original bi-monthly magazines), Inferno! has now reached Volume 5 – featuring 12 brand new tales of action, adventure, death and destruction. With a mix of established BL authors and newer names, these stories span Warhammer 40,000, Age of Sigmar, Warcry and Necromunda, ranging from pitched battles to struggles with very personal daemons, and from hardened warriors to weary healers. Whatever your interest in Warhammer and Black Library, chances are there’s a story or two for you here – and all 12 are brand new and never previously released, too.

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