Category Archives: Reviews

QUICK REVIEW: The Skeleton Key – David Annandale

Another Blood Bowl story from Black Library, The Skeleton Key is David Annandale’s first contribution to this growing collection of highly entertaining tales. This time the story is told from the perspective of mummy Ramtut the Third, as his Champions of Death undead team take on the honest-to-a-fault Bright Crusaders in the Dungeonbowl. Unlike a standard Blood Bowl game this involves a search for both the ball and the end zones, along with traps, teleporting skeletons, interfering goblins, and even a little cross-dimensional travel. It’s a clash of heroes against monsters even while Ramtut despairs at how far he’s fallen.

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Crossfire – Matthew Farrer

Matthew Farrer’s debut novel for Black Library, Crossfire is the first book in the Shira Calpurnia trilogy and introduces us to the character of Shira, newly-arrived Arbitor Senioris of the Hydraphur system. Fiercely devoted to the ideals of the Adeptus Arbites, Shira faces an uphill struggle to adapt to the swirling political waters on Hydraphur where nothing is black and white. After surviving an assassination attempt after just three days on the surface, her investigations soon bring her into conflict with the many political players on Hyrdaphur, the Inquisition, and her own concepts of what it means to be Arbites.

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Forgotten Texts: Snares and Delusions by Matthew Farrer

“You will set your eyes on the heart of Varantha, and all will come to an end”

Matthew Farrer’s second story for Black Library, and his first Warhammer 40,000 tale, Snares and Delusions sees Chaplain De Haan of the Word Bearers corrupting an Eldar Exodite world in his search for the craftworld Varantha and his foretold destiny. Possessed of boundless reserves of hatred and convinced he’s on the path to glory, De Haan is utterly focused on bringing the loathed craftworld to heel in spite of the Eldar’s reputation for trickery. Even when his words of fire and hate fail him before a sermon to his flock, his self belief remains absolute…

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QUICK REVIEW: Terminal Velocity – LJ Goulding

Another instalment in LJ Goulding’s growing body of Scythes of the Emperor stories, Terminal Velocity is a micro-short story that tells an unusual tale. Told from the first person perspective of an unnamed Scythe, it’s a dizzying depiction of a Space Marine’s absolute dedication as our nameless protagonist survives the destruction of his transport ship only to freefall from fourteen thousand metres. To say too much more would spoil the fun, but suffice to say his options are limited, without a functioning jump pack or any way of calling for support from his embattled brothers.

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Forgotten Texts: Words of Blood by Ben Counter

“Above everything…there is victory.”

A formative story from one of Black Library’s early fan favourites, Ben Counter’s Words of Blood pits Black Templars against Chaos cultists on the abandoned world of Empyrion IX. With only thirty Marines at his disposal, Commander Athellenas must find a way to stop an army thousands strong and led by the Manskinner, a powerful Chaos champion able to twist the souls of those around him to Khorne’s will. The consequences of failure are terrible, but Athellenas knows he has the tools to succeed. To do so however, he faces opposition from his own men as well as the enemy.

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QUICK REVIEW: A Last Sniff of Glory – David Guymer

For his first Blood Bowl story, David Guymer returns to the skaven with A Last Sniff of Glory, a tale of determination, desperation and performance-enhancing drug abuse. Ageing Skavenblight Scramblers star player Rurrk is long past his prime, but when the opportunity to rekindle his waning career presents itself he throws everything he has left into a final attempt to regain the adulation of the crowd that he craves so much. Facing up against an old rival, he uses everything at his disposal to ensure his place in the team’s starting lineup in spite of failing health and an ailing body.

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Dante – Guy Haley

Despite being one of the great heroes in Warhammer 40,000, Guy Haley’s novel Dante is the first time the Blood Angels chapter master has been the subject of a Black Library book. Correcting that oversight in spectacular fashion, Haley weaves two narratives together to tell both an origin story and a contemporary tale, which picks up at the end of the Shield of Baal arc. Set 1,500 years apart they show Dante at wildly different stages of his life, but driven throughout by a desire to serve and protect, and are connected by a strong sense of purpose.

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Forgotten Texts: Ancient History by Andy Chambers

“But remember lads, there ain’t no words for every void-born thing.”

Set largely in the bowels of an Imperial Navy battleship, Andy Chambers’ Ancient History follows ex-smuggler Nathan as he’s press-ganged into brutal service in a gunnery deck work gang. As he adjusts to life as a slave to the Navy, he starts to learn more about the galaxy he lives in, and the oddities of the men he works alongside. It soon becomes clear that life is infinitely more dangerous than Nathan ever knew, although the enigmatic old hand Kron may hold clues to how he can survive the perils, and mysteries, of life in the deep void.

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QUICK REVIEW: Eminence Sanguis – Guy Haley

Included in the beautiful Limited Edition version of Guy Haley’s novel Dante and named for a specific Blood Angels vessel, the short story Eminence Sanguis takes place in 428.M41 and features as its main protagonist High Chaplain Hereon. Astorath the Grim’s predecessor, Hereon leads a small group of his brothers on a mission to the Chapter homeworld of the Angels Vermillion to ask some pointed question of this unusually secretive Chapter. Despite receiving a decidedly frosty reception, Hereon persists only to find that some answers reveal secrets best left untold.

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QUICK REVIEW: Hunting Ground – Ian St. Martin

Another Adeptus Titanicus short story, Ian St. Martin’s Hunting Ground is a natural companion piece to Rob Sanders’ The Ember Wolves, dealing as it does with the actions of a pack of Warhound Titans taking on a larger foe. This time they’re loyal Imperial Titans, of the Legio Debellator (loosely: Conqueror), joining a small force of Subjugators in the defence of an Adeptus Mechanicus forge world. Facing a corrupted Warlord Titan formerly of his own legio, princeps Asander must play to his pack’s strengths if he’s to succeed in his mission and uphold the honour of the legio.
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