Category Archives: Reviews

QUICK REVIEW: The Atonement of Fire – David Annandale

Warning: there may be spoilers in this review, and the story itself, if you haven’t read Ruinstorm.

Originally available only in the Black Library Events Anthology 2017/18, David Annandale’s An Atonement in Fire is billed as a Primarchs short story, although it’s a pretty direct follow-on from Ruinstorm. With the Blood Angels making for Terra, Guilliman launches an all-out attack on a World Eaters fleet threatening both Sanguinius’ path and a loyal Imperial system. Never one to make it easy on himself, Guilliman is determined to protect Diavanos, allow the Blood Angels safe passage, and atone for the sin he feels he committed in creating Imperium Secundus.

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QUICK REVIEW: The Blessing of Saints – John French

Included in the limited edition hardback of The Horusian Wars: Resurrection, John French’s short story The Blessing of Saints takes a closer look at Idris, one of the most important characters from the novel. Back before they were full inquisitors in their own right, Idris and Covenant both studied under the same mentor, inquisitor Argento. Here we see the three of them searching for a manifesting saint among the cog-yards on Frell, though what they hope to do when they find it remains to be seen.

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The Realmgate Wars: Mortarch of Night – Josh Reynolds and David Guymer

Book nine of the Realmgate Wars series, Mortarch of Night was originally released as eight audio dramas (four by Josh Reynolds and four by David Guymer) before being rolled up into this novel. Although really two stories, the overall narrative is Sigmar’s attempt to negotiate a new alliance with Nagash, focusing mostly on one stormhost – the Hallowed Knights, specifically the Bull-hearts led by Lord-Celestant Tarsus and Lord-Relictor Ramus. Venturing into Shyish in search of the Great Necromancer, the Hallowed Knights forge an uneasy alliance that will have profound consequences, while Nagash himself appears…unhappy with the intruders into his realm.

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Sons of the Hydra – Rob Sanders

Rob Sanders has a good track record with Heresy-era Alpha Legion, and now he’s tackling them in a pre-Dark Imperium 40k novel, Sons of the Hydra. It follows the exploits of a small Alpha Legion warband known as the Redacted, led by Occam the Untrue – and no, he doesn’t have a sword called Razor. There’s a typically twisty, convoluted plot as Occam drives the Redacted in pursuit of his and the legion’s goals, and without giving too much away it involves Marines of varying chapters and loyalties, the expected levels of infiltration and false faces…and lots of plasma guns.

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The Bastard Legion – Gavin Smith

This was first posted on the British Fantasy Society website. Click here to check out more fantasy, sci-fi and horror reviews.

A hugely entertaining military-ish science fiction novel, Gavin Smith’s The Bastard Legion (originally released as The Hangman’s Daughter) kicks off a series of the same name, set 400 years into a dark but still recognisable future. Livewire, smart-talking mercenary Miska, commanding a force six-thousand strong, is commissioned to pacify a group of rebellious miners on a remote asteroid. The problem is, her army is made up of dangerous criminals from a stolen prison ship, trained only in virtual reality and compelled to fight under threat of execution, while her only help comes from the digital presence of her dead father.

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QUICK REVIEW: The Autumn Prince – Guy Haley

The third Shadespire-set Black Library audio drama, Guy Haley’s The Autumn Prince is the bravest and best yet. A narrator-less tale driven by strong dialogue and an excellent central performance from John Banks, it sees aelven Prince Maesa drawn to Shadespire in search of dark secrets to help him solve an even darker problem. Guided by the bound spite Shattercap and driven by determination that only an ancient soul can possess, Maesa seeks out the trapped spirit of one of Shadespire’s old lords to bargain for the knowledge he desires.

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The Primarchs Audio Dramas with Robbie MacNiven, Laurie Goulding and Ian St. Martin

If you’ve been following the 2017 Black Library Advent Calendar throughout December then you’ll probably already know that three of the twenty-four stories were audio dramas in the Horus Heresy Primarchs series. These three stories are the first audio dramas we’ve seen so far in the Primarchs series, and two of them offer the first contributions to the Heresy in any form by the authors in question.

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QUICK REVIEW: The Board is Set – Gav Thorpe

A smart, cleverly-told tale, Gav Thorpe’s Horus Heresy short story The Board is Set shows an unusually open side to Malcador, in the final moments before Horus’s forces arrive and the Siege of Terra begins. Looking for guidance and insight, Malcador sits down at an unusual game board with the Emperor to discuss what has been, what might have been, and what might yet be. With the last act approaching, he looks to the Emperor for a hint of what His final plan might be, and how they might survive what’s to come.

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QUICK REVIEW: A Lesson in Darkness – Ian St. Martin

A suitably dark and grisly tale, Ian St. Martin’s short audio drama A Lesson in Darkness is a Primarchs story concerning Konrad Curze, primarch of the Night Lords. When the human world of Piamen refuses to join in Imperial unity, the Imperium sends Curze and his legion to bring the Piameni to heel. Newly reunited with his legion, Curze demonstrates his instinctive mastery of terror tactics as he brings compliance to the horrified population of Piamen. For his legion, and Captain Nivalus in particular, it’s an early taste of what’s to come under Curze’s leadership.

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QUICK REVIEW: The Dance of the Skulls – David Annandale

The first Age of Sigmar story featuring the vampire Neferata, David Annandale’s The Dance of the Skulls sees the Mortarch of Blood waging war on her enemies on a battlefield suited to her specific skills. Attending a grand ball held in her honour by the scheming rulers of two rival kingdoms, Neferata uses all of her guile and experience to spring the obvious trap, confident in her ability to turn the situation to her favour. To the ancient vampire, navigating such political currents is second nature, though she knows she will need to be on her guard throughout.

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