Category Archives: Reviews

QUICK REVIEW: A Common Ground – Mike Brooks

Mike Brooks’ first Necromunda story for Black Library, released before his novella Wanted: Dead, the short story A Common Ground is a tale of pit fighters and blood-sport brutality, but also of careful planning and lasting legacies. Jaxx is a member of House Goliath, and has chosen to make a name for himself fighting in the arena of impresario Drost Khouren rather than work in the foundries. Shortly after discovering that Khouren rigged his last contest, costing him a shot at a lucrative fight, Jaxx is offered an opportunity to claim one last paycheck, but at a high cost.

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QUICK REVIEW: Repentia – Alec Worley

Repentia is Alec Worley’s second Adepta Sororitas short story, after the impressive Whispers, this time exploring – as the title suggests – the Sisters Repentia, Battle Sisters whose sins have seen them cast out from their Orders and sworn to seek redemption in death. Two such nameless Sisters are all that remains of their squad, sent out to search for a priceless relic that might turn the tide of an ongoing campaign. Though their prize is at hand, the forces of Chaos stand between them and safety, and the God-Emperor has need of their lives yet.

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Of Honour and Iron – Ian St. Martin

The fourth novel in the Space Marine Conquests series, Of Honour and Iron completes the set of the big four Chapters as Ian St. Martin tackles a story of the Ultramarines during the Indomitus Crusade. Pulled from an active warzone by order of their Primarch, Chaplain Helios and Sergeant Theron are sent on a secretive mission to retrieve something vital to the ongoing crusade, with only a handful of the new Primaris Marines for company. Meanwhile on a ravaged Imperial world, the Genesis Chapter lead a doomed defence against the forces of Warsmith Bolaraphon of the Iron Warriors.

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QUICK REVIEW: No Hero – Peter McLean

Peter McLean returns to the Reslian 45th for his third Black Library short story, No Hero. Abandoning the jungle world of Vardan IV to the rampaging orks, Imperial forces are pulling out and redeploying elsewhere. The troopers of One Section, D Company are finally on their way to being evacuated when their Valkyrie is hit, and the survivors must slog through the jungle on foot to try and reach the landing fields before the orks do. For one young Guardsman keeping a journal of events, it’s a journey that tests him body, mind and soul.

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QUICK REVIEW: The Unsung War – David Annandale

Available as a standalone e-short or as the first story in Inferno! Volume 1, The Unsung War sees David Annandale tackling Ultramarines Primaris Marines in a story of pragmatism and sacrifice. Deep in the bowels of the freighter Summons of Faith, two Ultramarines Intercessors are being held captive by drukhari raiders, in the wake of a disastrous mission to cleanse the ship of its tainted crew. A resourceful human stowaway offers them hope of fighting back, but in order to have any chance of victory, and avert a great tragedy, the Ultramarines may have to turn to the lesser of two evils for aid.

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QUICK REVIEW: Judge of the Wastes – David Annandale

David Annandale’s 22-minute audio drama Judge of the Wastes is at once a 40k ghost story, and a tale of a man whose rigid faith and fervour have left him ill-equipped to cope with doubt. Commissar Selander stands in judgement over the Imperial forces locked in a seemingly endless stalemate on Solennes, fighting and dying over a bleak wasteland. After the execution of an apparent deserter fails to provide sufficient motivation for a decisive advance, Selander begins to see the shade of the executed soldier, and finds doubt creeping in to undermine his certainty.

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Inferno! Volume 1 – Tales From the Worlds of Warhammer

Way back in 1997, issue 1 of Inferno! magazine was the first publication from a newly-created Black Library, featuring short stories, artwork and comic strips exploring the Warhammer settings. Fast forward to 2018 and Inferno! Volume 1 is the first in a new series of short story anthologies which promise to breathe new life into the Inferno! name. The eleven featured short stories cover Warhammer 40,000, Warhammer Age of Sigmar, Necromunda and even Warhammer Chronicles (tales from the Old World), and come from the keyboards of Black Library authors both old and new – including three never-before-seen stories from Black Library debutants (not to be confused with debutantes).

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QUICK REVIEW: In the Grim Darkness by Guy Haley

Included in the special edition hardback of Dark Imperium, Guy Haley’s short story In the Grim Darkness offers a quick glimpse into the slightly sinister world of Bellisarius Cawl as he works to perfect his new type of Space Marine in the wake of the Great Heresy War. Eleven-year-old Decimus Androdinus Felix was about to fulfil his dream to become an Ultramarine when his name was called and he was taken away. Waking some time later and escaping his captors, he finds himself in the company of a monster who speaks like a man, and who offers him a choice.

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QUICK REVIEW: Kill Shot – Ben Counter

An Officio Assassinorum short audio drama from Ben Counter, Kill Shot sees Vindicare agent Deliva engaged in a mission to assassinate a heretic noblewoman, Seleuca Markovan. As she keeps her distant handler up to date with the progress of her mission, it becomes clear that she won’t be able to deal with Markovan with a single, clean kill shot, but will instead have to find a way to complete her task up close. Time is pressing, however, and Deliva knows she can’t let Markovan escape.

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Legacy of Dorn – Mike Lee

A Crimson Fists novel set during the same campaign as Rynn’s World by Steve Parker, Legacy of Dorn is, incredibly, Mike Lee’s first full-length 40k novel. During the desperate defence of New Rynn City against the vast hordes of Waaagh! Snagrod, Veteran Sergeant Sandor Galleas and his Sternguard veterans find themselves cut off from the remaining Crimson Fists forces and trapped behind the orks’ lines. Forced into a campaign of guerilla warfare alongside a battered, ill-equipped group of human soldiers, the veterans take the fight to the orks, all the while knowing they may represent the last hope for their Chapter.

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